The Last of Us: Surrogate Fates: Shadows of the Past
by Newbie52
Summary: Published prior to the reveal trailer of the game's sequel, this story follows an alternate fate for Ellie and Joel following the events of the first game. When the truth comes out, Ellie abandons her new life. As Joel searches desperately for his friend, Ellie encounters a young traveler. As the trio faces the shadows of their past's, they must learn the value of life and family.
1. Chapter 1

"Swear to me," Ellie interrupted, taking a step closer to Joel. "Swear to me that everything you said about the Fireflies is true."

 ** _…_**

Joel was silent for five seconds. He looked into Ellie's eyes and saw a wide range of emotions that were boiling just below the surface. Joel mentally prepared himself. "I swear."

 ** _…_**

Ellie lowered her eyes. She blinked several times, taking in all the sadness and hopelessness of the world she should have been able to help, but couldn't. _I know he's lying. Somehow, he's lying. But it's over. It was almost all for nothing_. She raised her eyes to Joel and nodded several times. Her new life was about to begin. "Okay."

The Last of Us:

Surrogate Fates

Shadows of the Past


	2. Chapter 2

"Okay," Joel replied. _I hope you never have to find out what I did._

Ellie's expression remained unreadable.

Joel put his hand on her shoulder and began leading her down the hill toward Jackson County. The place where Tommy had offered them a home so long ago. "Let's go, kiddo."

It took them less than an hour to reach their destination. The jury-rigged steel sliding doors leading to their new lives towered above them. From their view at the top of the cliff, they had seen that the town was barricaded with stone walls and fences.

There were also large vehicles with boarded up windows and doors. The combination of vehicles, fences, and stone provided sufficient protection from Infected and other potential threats.

On each side of the Wall surrounding the clustered county, there were sliding steel doors that were chained shut and could only be opened from the inside.

 ** _…_**

Ellie stood on her toes and attempted to see over the large sliding door ahead of her. _I can't even see where I'm going… When I'm in, there will be no going back._ Ellie's thoughts turned bitter. _The most I'll see of the world is the fucking trees from the perimeter walls… Whatever. Why do I care? Apparently, there's nothing left for me out there._

The sliding doors began to open before Joel or Ellie could say a word.

"That was easy," Joel said with a chuckle. He seemed to be keeping his mood light for Ellie's sake.

"I know," replied a voice from the other side of the moving doors. "Having a brother on the inside has its perks."

Tommy came striding out from behind the large door, cradling a rifle. He wore blue jeans and a black jacket. His facial hair was still not as thick as Joel's and his long hair was unkempt much like it had been when Joel and Ellie had last seen him.

Tommy immediately hugged Joel. "Our sniper team saw you on the ridge about an hour ago," the younger man said as he let go of his brother.

"It's good to see you, Tommy," Joel said.

Tommy nodded and turned to Ellie, who was standing off to the side staring at the ground. "Are you alright?" he asked.

Ellie jumped at the voice and forced herself to look at Tommy, who had a look of concern on his face.

Tommy smiled gently. "You look beat, kid."

Ellie opened her mouth to respond. She had no idea what to say. _Get your head straight, Ellie!_ "It was a long ride," she said finally.

"I know the feeling," Tommy replied with an understanding nod. "You'll be safe here."

Ellie looked away. _You have no idea what I'm feeling._ _You have no idea what I've been through._

Joel must have sensed Ellie's discomfort and decided to get them moving. "Let's get inside," he said, once again grabbing Ellie's shoulder.

Ellie looked back as the large door clanged shut behind them. She sighed. _Here we go._


	3. Chapter 3

Ellie, Joel, and Tommy walked down the makeshift streets of Jackson. As they traversed the area, Tommy explained the basic structure of Jackson.

There were small buildings and houses everywhere. The buildings closest to the edges of town were used for storage of supplies.

As they moved further in, they saw one-room shops to suit the various needs of people living in the town.

The housing units were mixed together. Single-household residents were given small, single story buildings that had room for two. Any household with three or more residents were offered large housing in the center of town.

When they reached the houses, Tommy spoke again. "We're on about forty families now," he said proudly. "We're going to have to clear out some more houses this summer. But for now, we're just focusing on reinforcing the walls.

Joel nodded and took in the scene of men and women hauling supplies and other materials in and out of their houses. "You been getting any trouble with Bandits or Infected?" he asked.

"Once every few months we get some trouble makers, but they're learning to leave us alone. The Infected mostly show up after storms. Nothing new. We keep guards on the perimeter just in case," Tommy explained. He stopped and glanced at Joel's backpack. "To tell you the truth, we're running low on ammunition. I've got a team heading out in a few days to scavenge for supplies. You're welcome to join us."

Ellie looked up with interest. _You mean I can be useful here?_ She opened her mouth to reply.

"No thanks," Joel replied. "We plan on staying for good this time."

Ellie frowned and said nothing. _What is with this 'we' shit? What? Now that I'm not the cure for humanity, I don't get a say anymore? Why does he have to be so overprotective?_

Joel seemed to notice Ellie's frown. After a look of concern, he shook his head and looked at Tommy. "Where would you like us to stay?" the older man asked.

Tommy resumed walking and pointed ahead of them. Down the street, Maria was standing in front of a wooden, two-story house. Her hair was cropped as it had been at Jackson Dam. She wore a black coat and jeans.

Maria nodded in their direction. She clipped a walkie-talkie to her belt as the trio reached her. A moment later, she turned and looked at something out of sight, shaking her head.

Tommy pointed at a two-story house across the street from Maria. "We'll have you set up right across from us," he said. "The house just got cleared out a couple months ago, so it should be relatively clean."

Ellie saw the size of the house and felt very small. "We don't need a house with two floors," she said. "We're only two people."

"Absolutely not," Maria said firmly. "You two are the reason that our family is still intact. Our family _will_ stay intact." She looked at a boy standing at the side of their house.

The boy looked about two years younger than Ellie. He was dressed similar to Tommy, but his clothes were cleaner and his black hair was neatly combed. His blue t-shirt and jeans were also cleaner and less ripped anyone else present.

The boy was currently attempting to juggle acorns and was less than successful. After another failure, he dropped the acorns and approached the group.

Maria addressed the boy. "Joey," she said, softening her voice slightly. "This is your Uncle Joel and his friend Ellie."

Joel and Ellie exchanged glances of surprise. Joel looked at Tommy. "When did this happen?" the apparent uncle asked.

Tommy rubbed the back of head. "With the chaos last Fall, I never got to tell you. You're an uncle, big brother."

Joel chuckled. He knelt as the boy walked up to him.

As Joey shook his hand, the boy's eyes rested on Joel's broken watch. "I could fix that for you," he said shyly. "Well, I can try."

Joel retracted his hand and his shoulders tensed. "Some things can't be fixed," he said sadly.

Ellie placed a hand on Joel's shoulder and he relaxed slightly.

"He's a smart kid," Tommy said proudly as he cleared his throat. "He just needs to learn to keep his mouth shut every once in a while."

Joey walked up to Ellie. "I know you're not part of our family," he said in a matter-of-fact tone. "None of us have red hair."

Ellie tugged on the straps of her backpack and a hand drifted to her sleeve covered bite, tugging at the sleeve and bringing to her wrist.

Maria cuffed Joey on the back of the head.

Joey looked at his mother, confused.

Tommy shook his head. "I rest my case. Joey, go start your chores."

Joey walked into the house.

As the door closed, Joel grunted in amusement. "He's like his father," he commented, giving Tommy a rough pat on the back.

Tommy returned the gesture with a smile. "Yeah… I hope that turns into a compliment someday," he said, looking at the slowly setting sun. "Look, I've got the late shift on the Wall tonight. Why don't you guys get settled in and I'll talk to you in the morning."

Maria exchanged a nod with Joel and put a hand on Ellie's shoulder before following Joey into the house, leaving Joel and Ellie alone once again.

Ellie rubbed her shoulder and stared at the ground.

"Let's get inside," Joel said softly. He turned and started walking toward their new home and stopped when he realized that Ellie wasn't following. After a few seconds, she looked at him. Joel glanced at Tommy's house and back at Ellie. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," Ellie answered quickly.


	4. Chapter 4

Ellie and Joel entered their house.

The house had already been supplied with the basic necessities. There was a room for socializing just inside the door, a fully stocked kitchen with a circular table, and an old refrigerator that was humming softly. A window beside the table faced the setting sun.

There was a hallway containing a bathroom and a bedroom to the right of the kitchen. The bedroom was already fitted with a worn bed, a dresser for clothing, and a small closet.

Upstairs, there were two bedrooms and a bathroom with a working shower.

Joel set his stuff in one of the upstairs bedrooms.

Ellie settled in the room downstairs. Like Joel's room, it was small. There was a bed with a table on the side. Ellie glanced up and saw small, glowing plastic stars on the ceiling.

After exploring the house, Joel and Ellie sat down on the worn, wooden chairs at the round dining table. Neither said a word. Ellie's eyes continued to scan the room.

Joel broke the silence. "What do you think?" he asked.

Ellie felt like bare wooden walls were starting to close in on her. "It's big," she replied.

Joel looked at the table. "That's what I think," he said. He took a deep breath. "It'll pass."

Ellie continued to scan the walls. _This isn't going to pass. There are too many corners. Too many places for things to hide._

Joel grabbed the backpacks and poured their contents out on the table. "You should take whatever you want to keep to your room," he suggested as he zipped up the backpacks. "Then we'll head down to the general store that Tommy mentioned."

They spent twenty minutes sorting through their backpacks. Joel grabbed their remaining medical kit and stashed it in his room. After that, they stuffed the guns and ammo into Joel's backpack to trade later.

Ellie stared at her gun for a moment before reluctantly relinquishing it to Joel. She zipped up her backpack and set it on the table.

Joel zipped up his own backpack and stared at the girl across from him.

Ellie held one Firefly pendant in her hand. The rest still lay on the table alongside her knife, bow, arrows, and a robotic toy.

Joel picked up her backpack. "This is light," he said, weighing the bag. "Are you keeping the pendants?"

Ellie placed her hands protectively around the pendant she was holding. "I need something to remember," the girl said quietly, a hint of regret creeping into her voice. She placed the knife in her back pocket. "The knife, bow, and arrows are staying too."

Joel sighed but seemed reluctant to argue. "It's been a long day. You want to sleep for a bit, or go to the shop?"

Ellie slipped the pendant she held into her pocket and looked up. _Get me out of here!_ "I'm not tired."


	5. Chapter 5

As they exited the house, Ellie and Joel were greeted by Joey.

The boy held two objects in his hands. One was a soccer ball. "Dad told me to give you this, Uncle Joel," he said, offering Joel the ball. "He said you may want it."

Joel hesitated and then took the ball. He slowly turned it in his hands, deep in thought.

Ellie looked over Joel's shoulder at the ball. _That must have been Sarah's. She was holding a soccer trophy in his picture._

The ball came to a stop in Joel's hands.

Ellie saw that there were words written in permanent marker. It was an old address in Joel's handwriting. There was also a neatly written note under the address.

 **P.S. sorry if you are finding this in your yard.**

 **I'm practicing.**

 **Please return as soon as possible.**

Ellie saw a small smile cross Joel's face.

Joel continued to examine the ball in his hands. Eventually, he looked at his nephew. "Thanks, Joey."

Joey offered Ellie the second object. It was an old CD player.

Ellie grabbed it weighed the object in her hands, savoring each shift in weight. _I haven't seen one like this in a long time._ Ellie looked up at Joey.

Joey was looking Ellie as if she were from another world. "It's a CD Player," he said. "You know what CDs are, right?"

Ellie glared at him and took a step forward. _Listen, you little sh—_

Joel grabbed Ellie's shoulder and cut her off before she could say a word. "Yeah, we know what it is," he said, keeping Ellie in place. "We just haven't been able to use them for a long time."

Ellie turned and placed the CD player by the front door and looked at Joey. "Thanks, kid," she said flatly.

Joey stuck out his chin. "Don't call me 'kid'. My mom said I'm only two years younger than you."

Joel quickly placed the soccer ball and the CD player inside the door of the house before turning Ellie in the opposite direction. "We'll see you later, Joey."

As they walked away, Ellie mumbled under her breath. "Yeah, two years younger and a few inches shorter, twerp."

It was nearly dark when they reached the general store. The small store supplied both materials for survival and in-home additions. Rather than using the traditional ration card system, people could come and trade supplies for supplies.

Ellie stood back as Joel opened the door for her. She walked in and froze. "Woah!"

The left side of the store was devoted to the basic necessities; food, guns, and medical supplies. The owner of the shop was an old man with grey hair and a bushy beard. He wore a baggy brown t-shirt and brown jeans. Currently, the old man was busy cleaning one of the guns.

The right of the store, to Ellie at least, looked like an entrancing mess. There were large piles and shelves containing everything from furniture and clothes to movies and books. There was also an entire shelf that held music.

Ellie started walking toward the shelves.

"Ellie," Joel called. Ellie jumped, startled by Joel's voice. She walked over to him. He took off his backpack and grabbed Ellie's backpack from around her shoulder. "Go take a look around."

Ellie hesitated. It had been a long time since she left Joel's side, even temporarily. She gave him a grateful smile and moved off in the other direction.

Ellie was awed by what she saw with an in-depth examination. There were books, toys, games, cassette tapes, movies, and more. Best of all, there was music. Ellie had always liked music. It could always lighten up the mood or be a good distraction from reality. It also brought back memories, good and bad. _I haven't seen so much stuff since Riley and I were at the mall!_

Briefly lost in old memories, Ellie accidently knocked over a large stack CDs. Joel and the shopkeeper turned toward her.

Ellie blushed. "Sorry," she said quietly. _Way to go, Ellie. Great first impression._ She knelt to pick up the CDs. As she began restacking them, Ellie examined the covers. _I wonder how old these things are. Why do these guys have paint on their faces?_

Ellie had restacked all but one CD. The CD contained various guitar solos. She flipped it over and looked at the back. _I wonder if Joel would…_

 ** _…_**

Joel unloaded the supplies from his backpack.

The shopkeeper looked at him in surprise. "You've been out there a long time," the old man commented. "What do you got?"

Joel began to sort the supplies. When he was finished, the shopkeeper gathered up the supplies and placed them in separate garbage bags.

"Tell you what," the shopkeeper said, taking a step back. "I'll give you three pieces of deer meat and any three items from our house accessories section for free."

Joel shook his head. "I think we'll just stick with the basic supplies today."

There was a small clunk on the counter as Ellie placed the CD in front of Joel. Joel gave her look of confusion.

Ellie leaned back against the counter. "What? C'mon, I've got to listen to something on the CD player."

Joel glanced at the shopkeeper.

The old man shrugged.

Joel turned to Ellie. "I guess so," he conceded.

Ellie took the CD and put it in her backpack. "Thanks."

Joel watched as Ellie walked toward the door. She stopped to take one last look at the shelves, spending a few seconds looking at a rack with two guitars. There were no major differences between the instruments aside from one being a darker shade of brown than the other.

Ellie looked back at Joel.

Joel shook his head.

Ellie nodded left the building without a word.

Joel watched her go with regret.

"What else are we getting today, sir?" the shopkeeper asked, interrupting Joel's thoughts. The old man placed some meat on the counter. "I've still got plenty of meat for you."

Joel turned back to the shopkeeper, then back to the guitars. Joel sighed. "On second thought…" he said, pushing the meat back toward the shopkeeper.


	6. Chapter 6

Ellie walked into the house and grabbed the CD player.

Now that she was alone, the house seemed even larger and more dangerous. Ellie walked into her room and plugged the CD player into an outlet next to her closet. She opened the closet door and sat down inside. From there, she could see the entire room.

Ellie grabbed the CD out of its case, holding it between her thumb and her index finger. _Let's see what this thing's got._

"Ellie?" A voice called from the front of the house.

Ellie got up and walked out of her room, moving toward Joel's voice. "I'm in here," she called.

Joel closed the door to the house and walked toward her. He deposited some new clothing that he had bought from the shop on the couch.

Joel glanced at the CD in Ellie's hand. "You don't want to hold it that way," he warned. "It'll skip later."

"Whatever," Ellie replied with attitude. She rubbed her thumb across the back of the CD.

"Don't say I didn't warn you," Joel grunted. "Anyway, brown or browner?"

Ellie raised her eyebrows. "What?"

Joel folded his arms. "You heard me. Brown or browner?"

"Brown, I guess," Ellie said, setting the CD on back of the couch.

Joel walked out the door and returned with the two guitars from the shop. He handed the lighter colored instrument to Ellie.

Ellie smiled and took the guitar. "I didn't think we could afford something like this. What happened to only getting what we need?"

Joel smiled. "I also seem to remember making a promise to teach you how to play a guitar."

"Yeah," Ellie said as she strummed a note. "I guess you did. Thanks, Joel."

Ellie continued to hold on the guitar as if it was the most precious gift she had ever received. She looked up to see Joel watching her closely. Ellie suddenly felt embarrassed and tightened her grip on the guitar.

"Well, I'm beat," Joel said as he stretched. "I'm going to bed. Try to get some sleep, kiddo. I'll see you in the morning."

Ellie watched as Joel ascended the stairs. When Ellie heard the door close, she grabbed the CD and returned to her room. She closed the door, placed her guitar against the wall, and sat down inside the closet.

Ellie turned on the CD player and inserted the dick before hitting the 'play' button. The first song skipped continuously. Ellie beat the back of her head against the wall repeatedly in frustration.

After a few seconds, Ellie began to skip through the songs until she found one she liked. It started slow and sad. After a few minutes, the song became a little bit more uplifting. Ellie felt her mood lighten some and she played the song again.

As the night wore on, Ellie started to realize how tired she actually was. After listening to the entire CD and song multiple times, she turned off the music and got into bed, forgetting to change out of her clothes and into the new pajamas Joel had brought from the shop.

It was silent, dead silent. With the window next to Ellie's bed shut, there was no sound of wind. Even the sound of insects didn't penetrate the bedroom's curtain of silence. _This is too strange._

Ellie got out of bed and walked over to the CD player. She found her new favorite song and put in on repeat. _If I can't sleep I may as well learn the song._ Ellie crawled back into bed and fell asleep during the fifth repeat.

 ** _…_**

After what seemed to be the hundredth repeat of the song from downstairs, Joel sighed. _This… This I remember. What is it with kids and their music? Well, if it makes her happy._

Joel got up and slowly walked down the stairs. He glanced at the clock in the kitchen. It was ten o'clock at night. He looked in Ellie's room and saw that she was fast asleep. Joel smiled. _Peaceful at last._ He turned off the CD player before returning to his own room.


	7. Chapter 7

An hour after Ellie fell asleep, her nightmares began again.

 _Ellie was happier than she'd ever been. She was dancing with her best friend in the middle of the apocalypse. Riley threw down her pendant, showing that she would never leave Ellie again. Ellie suddenly kissed Riley. The other girl backed up._

 _"Sorry," Ellie said._

 _Ellie watched in horror as Riley glared at her and jumped down from the glass surface, running out of the room. Ellie began to chase Riley through the hallways of the mall. Riley ran into a large room._

 _When the world went to hell, the room was left under construction. There was a large board on the ground in front of them and a collection of tall scaffoldings that almost reached the ceiling. Huge windows started at ground level and rose to the ceiling above._

 _Riley climbed up one of the scaffoldings to the exit._

 _Ellie followed as quickly as she could. Just as she reached the top of the scaffolding, it tipped backwards. Ellie landed on a lower section of the scaffolding. It crumbled beneath her._

 _Ellie grabbed the edge to prevent her from falling to the ground. She looked up and saw Riley standing directly above her. The older girl now had cuts above both of her eyes and a gash along her nose. There was also a large scrape on her right cheek._

 _Ellie reached out with a hand. "Help me!" she screamed desperately._

 _Riley lowered her left hand. There was a bite mark on her palm. It was still dripping with blood. Riley reached down and grabbed Ellie by the throat. She brought her face close to Ellie's._

 _"It's all your fault," Riley whispered. She dropped Ellie into what was now an endless abyss below her._

 _Ellie landed on a table in the middle of a broken-down house._

 _Sam was there. He helped her to her feet. Though they could not be seen, there was no mistaking the sound of nearby Clickers._

 _"Sam!" Ellie said in surprise. "We gotta get out of here!"_

 _Sam nodded and quickly collected his backpack. Ellie reached down and grasped the toy robot she had taken from the toy store. She handed the toy to him._

 _The second it came into contact with Sam's skin, the toy turned to ash. As the ash moved toward the floor, it dissolved into dripping blood. Ellie took a step back and looked at Sam. Sam charged into her, his infection throwing him into a state of feral madness._

 _"Sam!" Ellie screamed as he tackled her to the ground. A gunshot rang out and Sam was no longer there. The only sounds were the whispers of Sam and Riley._

 _"It's all your fault…"_

 _"It's all your fault, Ellie…"_

 _Ellie looked around. She was in an empty, abandoned restaurant. "I'm safe," she said, attempting to calm her breathing. "I'm alive."_

 _"You've been out for quite some time," David said, appearing out of nowhere. He knelt and kindly put a hand on Ellie's shoulder before handing her a piece of candy. "I hope you're hungry."_

 _Ellie ate the candy and looked up._

 _The scenery had changed. There was fire all around them._

 _The fire engulfed the ceiling of the restaurant, casting small shadows on David's face as flame reflected in his eyes. "There's nowhere to go," he hissed._

 _Ellie roared and barreled herself into David, grabbing her knife. She repeatedly stabbed the man. Her eyes were clenched shut, not wanting to face the horror she was committing._

 _When Ellie finally did open her eyes, her entire surroundings had turned to ash. There was darkness all around her. She looked down to see her knife buried in the chest of her victim._

 _David was no longer present._

 _"Joel!" Ellie screamed._

 _Joel was covered in crimson blood. The same blood coated Ellie's knife. Fungus slowly began to emerge and spread from the knife wound in Joel's chest, traveling the course of his body and over his closed eyes._

 _Joel's hand reached up and grabbed Ellie by the hair, causing her to grunt in pain._

 _Joel opened his eyes. They were dark and lacked any trace of humanity._

 _"I'm going to leave you, kiddo," Joel said. The voice was void of all emotion. "It's all your fault."_

 _Ellie's surroundings materialized in the form of fungal overgrowth. She scurried backward in horror. Joel, Riley, Sam, and David materialized out of the fungus. They began to slowly walk toward her._

 _A giraffe materialized between Ellie and her victims. Everyone froze, staring at the unmoving giraffe._

 _Ellie felt a glimmer of hope as she stood and walked toward the giraffe, laying her hand on its mane. As the giraffe turned towards her, the effects of fungal infection took hold, spawning from its right eye and travelling down to its tail._

 _Ellie fell backwards and pulled her arms around herself. She squeezed her eyes shut. All she could hear were the whispers that began to overlap one another._

 _"It's all your fault."_

 _"You live and everyone else dies."_

 _"You could have stopped it all."_

 _"You are alone."_

Ellie snapped awake, gasping for air, her knife clenched tightly in her fist. _Where the fuck am I?_ It took a full thirty second for her to remember. Ja _ckson…_ Ellie threw herself under the covers. Despite her efforts to control herself, she began crying.

As the tears dropped, she remembered every detail of the dream. _They're getting worse. They're getting so much fucking worse. Why? Why the hell can't they just me alone?_


	8. Chapter 8

Ellie walked into the kitchen and got herself a glass of water. She glanced at the clock. It was two-thirty in the morning.

Once Ellie's heartrate slowed, she got back into her bed. It felt strange now that she thought about it. She had spent so long without a bed that its comfortable sheets and blankets made her uncomfortable.

Ellie twisted and rolled. She knew from experience that she wouldn't sleep the rest of the night. She stayed in bed, staring at her ceiling. The minutes dragged on. _At least I can find something to do when daylight hits._ _It should be soon. I've been up for hours_.

Ellie walked into the kitchen for the second time. As she got herself another glass of water, she glanced at the clock. Two-fifty-nine in the morning. _Are you fucking kidding me?_ Ellie sat down at the table and placed her head against the hard surface. It didn't make time go any faster.

Ellie rubbed her eyes and looked around.

Joel's guitar still leaned up against the wall.

Ellie walked into her room and retrieved her own guitar and the CD player. _I might as well get a head start._

Ellie plugged in the CD player and set it on the table. She turned it on and once again placed her favorite song on repeat. She placed the guitar face up on the table and tried to find the right notes to copy the song. _What are these turning things?_

Ellie spent over an hour trying to figure out how the guitar works. _Okay, so you turn these and…_ She strummed the guitar, causing a new tone. She looked at the clock again. _Is it supposed to take this long to learn?_


	9. Chapter 9

Joel awoke to the sound of birds chirping. He knew that meant he would never get back to sleep. It was still dark out. Joel continued to lay in bed and continued listening to the sounds of morning. As the sun began to rise, he slowly rose and stretched.

As Joel descended the stairs, he was greeted by a new sound. He turned to see Ellie sitting at the kitchen table.

The slowly rising sun gleamed through the window, illuminating Ellie and the kitchen. She continued to restart to the song she'd been listening to the night before and tried to copy the notes on her guitar.

Joel gazed proudly from the base of the stairs.

Ellie strummed the wrong chord again. "Dammit," she said as she restarted the song again. She glanced up and saw Joel. He put up hand in greeting. Ellie quickly turned off the song. "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. I just couldn't sleep."

Joel walked to the table. "Nightmares again?"

Ellie nodded.

Joel reached over and touched her arm. "You want to talk about them?"

Ellie opened her mouth to answer. For the faintest second, Joel thought he saw a look of fear in her eyes.

"No," Ellie said as she turned away from him. She looked out the window. Half of her face was cast in shadow.

Joel nodded, understanding the difficulties of confronting nightmares. He pointed at her guitar. "You think you got that all figured out?"

Ellie shrugged and turned toward him, illuminating her face once again. "Sort of," she said. "I figured out that you turn the tuners one way, the sound goes higher. Turn it the other way, and it goes lower."

Joel pulled up a chair. "Good first start. The true word is a 'tone'. The 'tone' changes."

"I don't even know the right words," Ellie grumbled, leaning back and away from the table. She sighed. "How am I going to do this?"

Joel knew that she was talking about more than just the guitar. "Well," he said, leaning forward "It'll take time and it'll take work."

"It's just so complicated, you know?" Ellie said. She leaned forward and stared at the table. "Does it ever get easier? Does it ever feel safe without a gun in your belt?"

Joel hesitated. Talk of weapons, especially guns, always made him uncomfortable. They brought back many bad memories.

 _"You'd just come after her." BANG._

"Joel?" Ellie called, as if from a distance.

Joel blinked a few times.

Ellie continued to snap her fingers in front of him. "Are you still with me?"

Joel swallowed. _No more guns. No more killing. Not for her._ "Yeah," he nodded. "Just tired. I can't answer your question, Ellie. It's different for everyone."

Ellie turned and stared out the window.

Joel remained silent, pondering his own words. He rose and grabbed his guitar before sitting down at the table again, strumming a few strings on Ellie's guitar to get her attention.

Ellie turned to him.

"Life does become a little more natural, Ellie," Joel promised. "You just have to give it time."

Ellie nodded and said nothing.

Joel grabbed his guitar and propped it up on his knees. "Now, let's teach you how to play that guitar."

A few hours later, they heard a knock on their door. Both Joel and Ellie were startled by the sound.

They both relaxed when they heard Tommy's voice. "Joel, I know you're awake. Come to the door."

Joel shook his head and placed his guitar on the table. Ellie placed hers next to it and followed him to the door. Tommy and Joey were standing outside. Both were wearing the same outfit from the day before.

"Told you they were awake," Tommy said to Joey. He addressed the girl next to Joel. "How are you Ellie?"

Ellie shrugged. "Tired. I'm ready to find something to do."

"We may be able to help with that," Tommy said with a laugh. He took a step forward. "Joel, turn around."

Joel folded his arms. "We played this game when we were kids, Tommy. Do you think I'm stupid?"

Tommy folded his arms as well. "You can question your own stupidity all you want. I'm just asking you to turn around," he replied calmly. A mischievous look crossed his face. "I've got something for you."

Joel sighed and turned to face Ellie.

Ellie folded her arms and raised an eyebrow. "I wonder if it'll be brown or browner."

"Shut it," Joel grunted.

Tommy reached over, moved Joey back a few steps, and grabbed a cup from the ground. He hesitated, handed the cup to Joey, and winked at Ellie.

Ellie gave him a confused look.

Tommy reached out his hand and flicked his finger hard into Joel's left earlobe.

Joel reacted by quickly turning around, grabbing Tommy, and putting him into a headlock.

As Ellie and Joey cracked up laughing, Joel bent down and spoke in Tommy's ear. "That was a bad idea, little brother."

Tommy glanced at Joey. "Hand me that cup," he said quickly. Tommy took the cup from Joey and slowly brought it up to Joel's nose.

Joel sniffed. "That sure as hell better be coffee," he growled, releasing Tommy.

Tommy slowly offered Joel the cup. "Welcome home, Joel."

Joel slowly drank out of the cup. _Twenty years. I never thought coffee could taste so good._

As Joel slowly drank his coffee, he saw that Ellie had moved to stand by Joey. He decided to stay silent.

"What is it with old people and coffee?" Ellie asked Joey quietly.

"I have no clue. I never liked it," Joey replied. He reached into his jacket and pulled out a couple of cans of Special Cola. "I prefer this."

Joey tossed a can to Ellie.

Ellie caught it, opened it, and downed the soda in one sitting.

Joey laughed.

Tommy and Joel watched the exchange with smiles on their faces.

Tommy leaned close to Joel. "How long has it been since she's had soda?" he asked his older brother.

"I've never seen her drink soda," Joel answered as he took another sip of his coffee. "She is going to be so crazy in about an hour."

Ellie belched and covered her mouth, turning away in embarrassment.

Joey was openly laughing now.

"Oh yeah," Tommy said, smiling. He grabbed Joel's shoulder. "Let's go for a walk."

Joel and Tommy began walking down the street side by side.

Joey and Ellie walked a few paces behind them, laughing and joking around.

After a particularly loud burst of laughter from Ellie, Joel and Tommy turned and saw that Joey had been soaked in soda. It was unclear why the can had exploded in his hand, but Joel caught a look on Ellie's face that called for some suspicion.

As they continued walking, they saw more and more people emerging from their houses and going about their day.

"Jackson's grown a lot in the last few months with the electricity back," Tommy was saying. "Still, keeping this place running is a twenty-four-seven gig. We can never get enough help. Maria and I are always sorting out who can do what."

"Sound's like a lot of responsibility," Joel admitted.

"As I said last night, we've got a team going out to scavenge, but we have to send our best shots with them in case there are Bandits or Infected around," Tommy continued. "Unfortunately, that leaves the Wall in less capable hands. If you and Ellie wouldn't mind, we could use some good shots. It seems you two impressed some of the regulars back at the Jackson Dam."

Joel looked back at Ellie and Joey, who were now discussing their tastes in music. Joel turned back to Tommy. "I'll take that job on the Wall," he said. "But I think it's wise if Ellie leaves that world behind."

Tommy nodded and glanced at back at Joey. "I get it. I've never even let Joey hold a gun. He's been helping his mom with heavy lifting. We'll find something for him eventually. But for now, I think I have an idea of where to put Ellie."

 ** _…_**

"Well, I like all kinds of music," Ellie was saying, continuing her debate with Joey.

The two of them fell silent as Joel and Tommy stopped in front of the shop they had been in the day before.

"We'll meet you back here in twenty minutes," Tommy said.

Ellie said goodbye to Joey before walking toward the door to the shop with Joel.

"Are you and Joey friends now?" Joel asked, stopping with his hand on the door to the shop.

"The twerp has his moments," Ellie shrugged. "What are we doing back here?"

"Well, you said you wanted something to do here," Joel replied. "Tommy thinks he found something."

The shopkeeper greeted them from behind the bar, wearing the same outfit as the day before. "Hello again," he said cheerfully. "Tommy said you'd stop by."

Joel stepped forward with Ellie. "The name is Joel. I'm Tommy's brother. This is—"

Ellie rolled her eyes and walked up to the shopkeeper, extending her hand. "Ellie," she said. "I'm Ellie."

The shopkeeper shook her hand. "Just who I wanted to see," he said, ignoring the attitude. "I wanted to talk to you about a job."

Ellie was surprised. She had heard about jobs from Joel but had never experienced one. Her life's job is survival. "What kind of job?" she asked cautiously.

The shopkeeper scratched his head. "It's the kind of job that has variety and is easier to do with two people. Every few months when we send out a scavenging party, they come back with whatever they find. Most of it ends up here. I've got my hands full with the day to day trading and sorting out the essentials. Guns, food, medical supplies, etcetera."

"And?" Ellie asked, waiting for him to get to the point.

The shopkeeper motioned to the other side of the shop. "The rest gets thrown over there. I can't even tell you what half of it is."

Ellie still wasn't sure where this was going. "Soooo… what do you want me to do?"

The shopkeeper laughed. "Frankly, I was hoping that you could organize it, inventory it, and get people to take it. It can get cluttered over there real quick."

Suddenly, that area of the store seemed a lot bigger to Ellie. _This is going to suck._ She looked at the shopkeeper. "What's in it for me?" she asked flatly.

Ellie noticed Joel shift uncomfortably next to her and he opened his mouth to comment on her rudeness.

The shopkeeper held up a hand. "It's alright," he said, looking at Ellie. "It's a valid question for these times. Tell you what. For every two weeks that you help me out, I'll let you pick out two items, excluding weaponry. Maybe even three items, depending on recent hulls."

"Deal," Ellie said after a moment's consideration. Joel and Ellie moved toward the door. Ellie stopped and turned around. "Why offer me the job? You don't even know me."

"One, everyone needs a job to stay sane," the shopkeeper replied with a small chuckle. "Two, you alphabetized the discs you knocked over. See you around ten-thirty tomorrow morning."

Joel and Ellie exited the shop and waited outside.

Tommy walked up to them ten minutes later. "How'd it go?" he asked.

Ellie shrugged. "I have a job, I think. I'm supposed to start tomorrow."

"Good. We could use all the help we can get," Tommy said. The walkie-talkie on his belt chimed. Tommy looked at Joel. "Second shift's about to start. I've got you in at third shift. Northwest wall. Shift starts at sunset and ends at midnight."

Joel nodded. "I'll see you then."

"You're welcome to hang out at our house tonight," Tommy said to Ellie. "I think Joey likes having someone to talk to. He doesn't exactly approach people."

"I'll think about it," Ellie replied.


	10. Chapter 10

After a lunch at Tommy's, Ellie had spent the last two hours in a restless state. She was now walking through the streets of Jackson.

Joel and Tommy had gone to talk to some of the guards on the Wall.

All around her, Ellie saw families heading inside for the night. Through the windows, she saw some eating dinner, cleaning, or socializing on their couches. _Is this what it was like? Weird. Everyone seems so calm. So happy._

Ellie passed another house. The family inside was sitting around a television set. _How can they do this? How can they stand still?_ Ellie leaned up against an old street sign. _How can **I** do this?_

Ellie sighed again and walked faster. The sun began to set in the distance. _Day one is almost over._

As Ellie continued to walk the perimeter of the nearest side of the Wall, she noticed Joel sitting on top of an RV. He was looking out into the setting sun. He seemed deep in thought.

Ellie lowered her gaze. _I wonder if it's just as hard for him._

 ** _…_**

 _"Liar!"_

 _"Ellie, please, you don't understand! I had to do it!"_

 _"Go to hell, Joel!"_

 _Ellie turned away from him and crossed the sliding door to the outside of Jackson._

 _Marlene materialized. Blood was dripping from the bullet hole in her forehead. As the crimson liquid reached her lips, she smiled. "You wasted this gift, Joel." She wrapped her arms around Ellie and turned her away from Jackson._

 _Ellie looked at Joel one last time. The mixture of sadness and utter hate was evident in her eyes._

 _Joel collapsed to the ground. "I lost her."_

"Joel, wake up."

Joel's eyes snapped open. He was leaning on his rifle. Stars lit the sky over Jackson. He turned.

Tommy was standing next to him. "Are you alright?" he asked with a look of concern.

Joel shook his head and gripped his gun tighter. "I'm… fine. Sorry I nodded off. It won't happen again."

"It's alright," Tommy said as he sat down next to Joel. "I reckon you haven't slept well."

They were silent for a few minutes. The only sound was the soft breeze that whipped through the trees and the insects that surrounded them.

Eventually, Tommy broke the silence. "Ellie just went home. I think she'll do alright here, Joel. It's a good place to start over," he said looking into the distance.

Joel simply nodded.

Tommy leaned on his own rifle. "But… there's something different about you. Both of you. When you left, I saw a connection between you two. It's still there, but… there's a distance."

Joel sat silently as if he hadn't heard him.

Tommy took a deep breath and looked at the other guard on the Wall. "Jim, you took most of the day shift. Go home and see your family."

The man thanked Tommy and climbed down the ladder to the ground.

Tommy put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

And so Joel told him. He told him everything. He told Tommy about Tess, Bill, Henry, Sam, Salt Lake City, everything. Everything. Even the lie.

Tommy was silent through it all. He stared straight ahead.

There was a long silence after Joel finished.

Eventually, Joel became uncomfortable. "Say something, Tommy. Anything. Was I right? Was I wrong?"

Tommy rose as if to leave. Instead, he seated himself directly in front of Joel and fixed him with a hard stare. Joel looked past Tommy, waiting for his brother to start shouting.

After a few seconds, Tommy finally spoke. "Twelve years ago, I would have beat the shit out of you for doing something like that. How dare you make that choice for someone?"

Joel kept his gaze leveled ahead, accepting the judgement.

"That was before I became a father," Tommy said quietly. He grunted. "I would go to hell and back for my son. You did the right thing, Joel."

Tommy stood and offered his hand.

Joel took it and embraced his brother gratefully. "Thanks, Tommy."

Tommy patted his brother's back and took the rifle. "Now, why don't you get some sleep," he said. "You can take the shift tomorrow morning."

Joel descended the ladder to the ground.

"And Joel?"

Joel turned back to Tommy again.

Tommy restocked the rifle. "Don't ever let me catch you sleeping on the job again."

Joel chuckled and turned away. "Goodnight, Tommy."

When Joel returned home, he found Ellie passed out at the table, lying over her guitar. Joel gently lifted Ellie out of the chair and carried her to her bedroom. She stirred slightly when he laid her on her bed.

"Goodnight, Ellie," Joel said gently.

"Night," Ellie replied, still mostly asleep.

Joel grabbed her blanket and covered her. He stopped at the door and glanced back.

Ellie had rolled over and was now facing the wall.


	11. Chapter 11

Ellie awoke before sunrise and grabbed a new pair of blue jeans. She pulled on a long-sleeve, light blue Triple Phoenix shirt, grabbed her backpack, and went downstairs.

There was a key on the table next to her guitar.

Ellie strummed a few notes on the guitar and picked up the key.

There was also a note from Joel.

Lock the door whenever you leave the house. If you lose the key, go to Tommy's.

Took a day shift on the Wall.

See you tonight.

Ellie crumpled up the note and threw it aside. "Pfft. What, does he think I'm five years old?"

Ellie exited the house, locking the door behind her and pocketing the key. She walked into the shop ten minutes later and nodded her greetings to the shopkeeper, who was just finishing breakfast. The shopkeeper was still dressed in a pair of brown pajamas.

"You're early," the shopkeeper said as he put down a spoon.

"I don't sleep past sunrise," Ellie replied.

"Me either," the shopkeeper grunted. "You want any cereal before you start?"

"I'm not hungry."

Ellie looked at the shelves full of miscellaneous objects behind her. Like the day before, it looked a lot bigger that it initially had. _Here we go, Ellie. First day of work._

Ellie spent the morning organizing the store, mostly ignoring the people who walked in and out. The shopkeeper gave no suggestions and Ellie didn't ask. She started by placing objects into piles. _Music, movies, books, instruments, house supplies, random crap…_

When Ellie had finally sorted everything into piles, she sat down and took a small breath of relief. _That wasn't so bad._ _Next is organizing it onto the shelves._ She rose and moved toward the first pile.

The shopkeeper spoke to Ellie for the first time in hours. "Not so fast," he said. "You've been working nonstop. Take a break and go outside."

Ellie sighed and walked out the door. _Now what do I do?_ She glanced down the street.

There were a group of men dressed in white t-shirts and blue jeans attempting to create a new barricade on top of the nearby section of the Wall. One man was passing boards up while the other two were grabbing and nailing them onto the boards they had already set.

Ellie started walking in their direction.

The man on the ground picked up a particularly large board and attempted to shoulder it. As he began to lift it over his head, it tipped backwards. The awkward shift in weight caused him to stumble. Ellie grabbed the board from behind and steadied him.

"Thanks, kid," the man said appreciatively.

"No problem," Ellie replied, balancing the board on her shoulder. "Are you ready to lift, or what?"

The man gave her a look of surprise as the men on the Wall laughed. The man on the ground shrugged and gripped the board tighter.

With a grunt of exertion Ellie pushed the plank above her as far as she could. The two men above them grabbed the plank. Ellie continued to help them for a half hour until they had finished their task.

Eventually, Ellie turned away with the thanks of the three men. "You want to help out with the Wall, you're welcome anytime," one of them said.

When Ellie walked back into the shop, the shopkeeper was shaking his head. "You really don't get the concept of a break, do you?"

"I guess not," Ellie replied, moving to the piles.

Ellie spent the rest of the day organizing everything on the shelves and making it look neat.

Ellie stood back as the sun started setting _Finally done._ _That wasn't so tough._

Ellie took a drink of the water that the shopkeeper offered her. "Now what?" she asked.

"Go home, kid," the man said with a chuckle. "You've done enough. Tomorrow, we'll have to start figuring out how to get rid of this stuff. And don't forget your payment."

Ellie raised an eyebrow. "I thought I had to wait two weeks."

The shopkeeper smiled. "Perks of being the owner. Go on. Pick anything you want."

Five minutes later, Ellie walked down the street toward the house. In one hand, she held a poster for "Dawn of the Wolf". Her other hand was dragging an old swivel chair with three wheels. She received a few stares from people she passed but ignored them.

The house came into view. The streets were empty and most of the people had gone inside for the night.

Ellie stopped and looked at the chair she was dragging, then at the clear street ahead of her. _Oh, what the hell?_

Ellie ran as fast as she could with the chair in front of her and jumped on. "Wahoooo!" she shouted as she started to pick up speed. Ahead, she saw gravel turn into grass. "Oh, fu—"

As the wheels hit the grass, Ellie and the chair toppled over. She scraped her right arm on the ground. Ellie took a moment to collect herself and got to her feet, brushing off her shirt. She looked over at Tommy's house and saw Joey staring at her from his front yard.

"Having fun?" Joey asked in amusement.

Ellie grabbed the chair and hauled it toward her house. "It was great until I hit the grass," she replied.

Ellie grabbed the key and opened the door. She deposited the chair and poster in her bedroom and strummed her guitar a few times.

"Dammit!"

Ellie walked toward the door.

Joey was bent over across the street, rubbing his toe.

Ellie exited the house. "You okay?" she asked.

"Yeah," Joey said. He attempted to stand up as if nothing happened. "I dropped the log on my toe."

Ellie turned to reenter the house before stopping. _You know, the twerp can be a jackass, but he's pretty cool most of the time._ Ellie turned and walked across the street. "You want some help? It's going to be dark soon."

Joey smiled. "That would be awesome."

Ellie and Joey spent the next twenty minutes stacking the logs by the side of the house. When they were finished, they sat down in the back yard and looked at the darkening sky.

Ellie sighed, now completely exhausted. She glanced at Joey. "So where are your parents?"

Joey shrugged. "Mom's napping. I think dad is introducing Uncle Joel to a girl. He thinks it'll be good for him or something."

Ellie felt a pang of jealousy before shaming herself. _He has the right to be happy._ Ellie yawned. "Is it like this every day? Actually being busy with something?"

"Some days more than others," Joey replied with a yawn of his own.

Ellie smiled.

Joey noticed her enthusiasm. "You are strange," he said bluntly. "All you want to do is work."

Ellie started picking at the grass. "It keeps my mind off things…"

"You know that you messed up your arm, right?"

Ellie glanced up. "What?"

Joey pointed at the scrape on Ellie's wrist. There was a little dried blood.

Ellie rolled up her sleeve instinctively and looked at the scrape that stretched from her wrist to just above her bite. "Not that bad. It'll heal," she said as she rolled down the sleeve and looked at Joey.

Joey was still staring at her arm, his mouth hanging open.

Ellie froze as well. _Fuck! The bite!_

Joey looked back at the house and raised his voice. "Mo—"

Ellie clamped her hand over Joey's mouth and issued the only threat she thought would work. "If you scream, I'm going to fucking bite you."

Joey froze.

Ellie glanced around. Nobody had heard the commotion. _Jesus, that was close._ She returned her attention to a terrified Joey. "I'm going to lower my arm now," she said quietly. "And you are going to _shut up_."

Joey nodded.

Ellie slowly lowered her arm.

Joey looked as if he wanted nothing more than to scream. However, he kept quiet.

Ellie sighed _. Might as well tell the truth. Here goes everything._ "I'm immune," she started. She lifted up her sleeve again. "This bite is almost a year old. I got bit back in Boston."

Joey remained silent.

Ellie pulled her sleeve down again. "The Fireflies found out that I was immune and hired Joel to escort me to their scientists so they could make a cure. Long story short, it…" Ellie stopped. Her hands found a stick in the grass. She pushed it hard into the ground. "It was all for nothing."

There was a sharp snap as the stick broke in half.

Ellie forced herself to relax her hand.

Joey continued to stare at her.

"So we came back here," Ellie finished. She looked at Joey again. "Is any of this making sense or is it going in one ear and out the other?"

Joey was silent for a moment. "Does my dad know?"

Ellie nodded. "Your mother probably knows too. Joel brought me here in the Fall to…" _Dump me._ "Get some supplies before moving on. Your mom and dad offered us a home and, well, here we are."

They were both silent for a full twenty seconds.

Ellie grew impatient. She shook her head and looked at Joey again. "Anything? Something? Please?"

Joey looked at the grass. "Are you absolutely sure you aren't infected?"

Ellie groaned and stood. "Give me your arm!" she said sharply as she reached for him.

Joey stumbled backwards. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to bite you," Ellie spat. "And in two days, when you haven't turned, I'll come back and ask you if I'm immune."

Joey didn't answer.

Ellie took another threatening step forward.

Joey stood and backed away, stumbling slightly. "Okay, okay, I get it. You're not infected. Just… stay away from me. You're freaking me out."

Ellie turned away and tugged her at her sleeve again. "That's why I don't tell people," she said under her breath. She turned toward Joey. "Look, I'm sorry, okay. I'm still getting use to… normal. Just don't tell anyone about my immunity. I don't want to ruin this for…"

Joey allowed her to leave the sentence unfinished. "I promise," he said, taking a calming breath. He adopted a lighter tone. "Now, go home. You look worse than dad after a fourteen hour shift on the Wall."

Ellie gave him an appreciative smile before walking around the house and across the street, rubbing her eyes as she reached her front door. She glanced over and saw a pair of legs walking around the corner across the street.

Ellie thought nothing of it and reached for the key. As she moved to unlock the door, she realized it wasn't closed. _Joel must have come home._

Ellie walked inside. "Joel?" she called. She dropped her key on the ground. "Oh, shit!"

 ** _…_**

Joel yawned as he walked down the street. He reached the house and saw that the door was already open. "Ellie, you left the door open—" Joel froze and dropped his backpack on the ground.

The kitchen ahead of him was trashed. Dishes were scattered on the floor. Some were broken. The tablecloth was crumpled up into a ball and thrown aside. Cupboard doors were thrown open and some of their contents were scattered about the room.

Joel took a step forward and heard a crunch. He lifted his foot. There was a key on the floor. _Ellie's key. Oh no…_ "Ellie?"

Joel ran into the bedroom and saw Ellie in her closet. She was throwing clothes out and muttering to herself. "Please be in here. Please tell me I put it in here. Please. Please." She hadn't noticed him come in the room.

"Ellie…" Joel started cautiously.

She spun around, speaking franticly. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I locked the door when I left! When I got home, I opened the door and I went and helped Joey with the firewood! Then he saw the bite! I told him everything! I came back and the door was open and—"

"Ellie!" Joel said loudly.

Ellie looked down, nervously pulling on fingers. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

Joel saw a blood stain on her arm. He bent down and slowly lifted her sleeve. "What happened to your arm? Was someone in the house when you got home?"

Ellie shook her head. "No," she said quietly. "No, they were gone when I got here. I scraped my arm on the way home. Stupid kid stuff. Joel, I'm so sorry. I didn't even think about the door—"

"But you're alright?" Joel asked, taking a hold of her hand.

Ellie nodded, then shook her head and mumbled under her breath. "They took… They took the…"

Joel tipped his head. "What? Ellie, look at me. What did they take?"

"The guitar!" Ellie shouted. She started pacing around the room. She was speaking fast again. "I left it on the table this morning and when I got home it was gone! I just wanted to find it because you gave it to me and it was so nice and I really liked it and—"

"Hey. Hey!" Joel said loudly, grabbing Ellie's arms. "I don't care about the guitar. I'll find you another one. I'm just glad you were at Tommy's and that you are alright. Just… breathe."

Ellie took a few deep breaths. On the third breath, she shuddered and turned away while running a hand down her ponytail. "How am I going to do this Joel? I can't even close a stupid door."

Ellie grabbed the closet door and pushed it closed.

Joel sighed and stepped forward, turning Ellie around to face him again. "We're going to do this the way we always have. Together."

Ellie nodded and wiped a tear away from her eye.

Joel continued. "Deep down, you know that."

Ellie opened the closet again and bent down to pick up the clothing she'd thrown on the floor. "How do you know that?" she asked. "Even I don't know that."

Joel picked up a sweater and offered it to her. "Because you've called this place home three times in the last two minutes."

Ellie hesitated. She took the sweater and hung it in her closet.

Joel picked up a shirt. "So how was work?" he asked.

"What?"

"You heard me. How was work?"

Ellie shook her head. "Work was… work was fine."

Joel grabbed the blanket on her bed and straightened it out. "I saw the shopkeeper. The store looked nice."

Ellie picked up a lamp and placed it on her desk. "Checking up on me?" she grumbled.

Joel shook his head. "I was walking home as he was closing up. I trust you, Ellie."

"Even now?" Ellie asked, sitting down on the bed, looking at the floor. "Even after I did this?"

"Is this going to happen again?" Joel asked.

"No," Ellie said quickly and firmly. "I swear this will never happen again. I promise you, Joel."

"Good. Then we move on."

Hours later, they had finished cleaning up the first floor of the house. It was late. Ellie moved toward the stairs. Joel blocked her with his arm. "How about you get some rest. I'll take care of my room and we can clean the rest in the morning."

"Are you sure?" Ellie asked uncertainty. "I mean, this was my fault. I should—"

Joel shook his head. "It's fine, Ellie. Just get some sleep."

Ellie walked to her room. "Goodnight," she said.

"Goodnight, Ellie."

Ellie walked into her room and closed the door.

Joel walked down the stairs after finishing his own room.

There was a knock at the front door.

Joel immediately turned and grabbed a knife from the kitchen. He moved slowly toward the door and opened it open a crack. "Tommy? What are you doing here?"

Joel opened the door and Tommy walked in.

"It's two in the morning and all your lights are on," Tommy said with concern. "I wanted to make sure everything was alright. What's with the knife?"

Joel walked into the kitchen and placed the knife on the table. "We had a visitor, little brother."

"Damn…" Tommy looked toward Ellie's room. "Is everything alright? Are you and Ellie okay?"

Joel sat down on a chair. "Everything's fine. Ellie and I weren't here. Ellie was helping Joey with something and came home after whoever did this was gone."

Tommy took a seat at the kitchen table. "But she's okay?" he asked again.

"She's a little shook up," Joel replied. "But she'll bounce back. She always does."

Tommy yawned and rubbed his eyes. "Both of you adjust quickly. You've been here two days. You both have jobs, good reputations, a house, and uninvited guests," he said, grabbing the knife and weighing it in his hands. "Why is it whenever you come to Wyoming, there are uninvited guests?"

"Bad timing," Joel grunted.

Tommy laughed and looked around the room. "I'll be sure and look into this whole thing tomorrow. Was anything valuable taken?"

Joel shook his head "Not really. They weren't here very long and we had our backpacks with us. I had my guitar with me too, but…" Joel glanced back at Ellie's room. They could hear Ellie's CD player. Joel lowered his voice. "Whoever was here took her guitar. What kind of asshole comes in and steals a little girl's guitar?"

Tommy didn't answer. He simply placed the knife back on the table.

Joel picked up the blade and put it back in a drawer. "She's scared Tommy," he said quietly, sitting down again. "She's scared, and I don't know how to help her. I don't know what to say… I don't know what to do, little brother."

They sat in silence for a few minutes. Then Tommy yawned. He rose and moved toward the front door. "Well, I'd better get going. I'm leading a team out to look for new supplies tomorrow. There's a town a few miles away. No Bandits have raided the place yet."

Joel walked with him. "I'll go with you tomorrow."

Tommy gave him a look of surprise. "What are you looking for, Joel?" he asked. He glanced down and saw Joel's guitar leaning up against the wall. Tommy chuckled. "See you in the morning then, Joel. seven sharp."

 ** _…_**

Ellie awoke from another nightmare an hour later. She turned on her CD player and once again wondered what had really happened while she was unconscious in Salt Lake City and why she deserved to live in Jackson.


	12. Chapter 12

Three weeks later, Ellie glanced at her new guitar as Joel started to exit her room, briefly hesitating at the door before moving on.

Ellie strummed her new acoustic guitar once more. It was almost identical to Joel's, save for a slightly darker shade of brown. _He actually found another guitar. He went out and found another guitar._

In the three weeks since the break-in, Ellie had tried her best to adjust to life in Jackson. Her room was now fitted with curtains for her window and a desk with a lamp. Joel told her that this was what normal rooms look like.

While her CD player had mostly remained inside her closet, Ellie had managed to repair her Walkman. It had been her only true friend other than Joel. It skipped frequently, but it was something.

Ellie continued to strum the guitar. _This is even better that the last one. I'm never letting it out of my sight._ Ellie placed the Walkman and the guitar aside gently and grabbed out her CD player, humming the song that Joel had just sung to her. _I think Sarah would have loved that song._

Ellie dropped the CD player. "Shit," she grunted.

Ellie sighed, crouched, and grabbed the CD player. She shook her head as she turned it over in her hands. _Sarah… Sarah would have loved it._

Ellie turned on the CD player and began to hum with the songs.

A while later, Joel walked by the room. "I'm going to bed," he said with a yawn. "You probably should too. You have work tomorrow and so do I."

Ellie nodded and Joel began to walk out.

Ellie looked up. "Joel?"

Joel stepped back into view. "Yeah?"

Ellie took a deep breath and stood. "All this," she said as she motioned around the room. "CDs, movie posters, beds, guitars. This is normal. But not for me."

Joel walked into the room and sat down on the bed "Ellie…"

"It's not me," Ellie said again. "All this… It's not me. I need something that I can call mine."

Joel took a deep breath. "What do you suggest?"

"I want to learn how to play a song," Ellie said as she sat on the bed next to Joel.

"Okay," Joel said. "What song?"

Ellie glanced at the CD player. They had both heard the song before. It was the same song that Ellie had listened to the first night in Jackson.

Joel stood. "I'll do what I can to teach you," he said kindly.

Ellie grabbed his arm. After a moment, she let go. "Will you do it with me?" she asked. "You know, the song?"

Joel waited until the song finished. "I have one condition," he said.

Ellie dramatically plopped backwards on her pillow. "Ugh. What?"

"I'm serious, Ellie."

"What's the condition?" Ellie asked, sitting up.

Joel laced his hands together and looked into Ellie's eyes. "I need you to try and forget everything that happened before we got here. The Fireflies, Pittsburg, last winter, you're immunity, everything. The past is only going to hold you back, kiddo."

Ellie looked at the floor.

Joel waited patiently.

Ellie eventually nodded.

Joel put his hand on her shoulder. "I'll see you in the morning, Ellie."

That night, Ellie placed her guitar next to her backpack and closed the closet door. Moments later, she opened the door again and grabbed her backpack. She opened the smallest zipper and pulled out a Firefly pendant _._

A single tear fell from Ellie's eye. _Just one. That's all I'm going to give the world._ The tear landed on the pendant. Ellie shook her head and turned the pendant over in her fingers. _Forgetting is the hardest part of this… normal life. Why can't he understand that?_

Ellie laid down on her bed and closed her eyes. When she fell asleep, the nightmares began again.


	13. Chapter 13

Three Years Later

Spring:

March

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.

"Dammit," Ellie groaned. She yawned and rolled out of bed. _I hate Mondays. I hate any day that I wake up to that damn door._

"Ellie, wake up," Joel said as he thumped on the door again.

"I am awake," Ellie grumbled. "I just need a second."

Ellie opened the door a few minutes later wearing a long-sleeve black and red shirt, and blue jeans. Joel stood there, dressed in a green flannel shirt and blue jeans. As always, his broken watch was on his right wrist.

"I think you need to learn the difference between awake and functional," Joel said.

Ellie folded her arms. "I'm standing, aren't I?"

"We're going over to Tommy's in twenty minutes. Try not to fall asleep before then."

Joel turned around and Ellie stuck out her tongue at him and followed. She walked into the kitchen and picked up a soda.

Joel grabbed his coffee and snatched the can from her hand. "Nice try."

Ellie sighed. "Remind me again the difference between you drinking coffee and me drinking soda."

"I'm older and need more energy," Joel said, handing her a glass. "You're seventeen and have more than enough."

Ellie got a glass of water from the sink. "I can't wait to be eighteen," she said before adopting a lower tone of voice. "Adults can say, 'Fuck the rules. I'm thirsty and I want a soda'."

"Language," Joel said. He sat across from Ellie and continued to sip his coffee. "And just so you know, the age rule doesn't change until your thirty."

"Or until you're too old to stop me," Ellie said under her breath.

"I'm sorry, did you say something?"

"No."

Joel placed his coffee on the table. "That sarcasm thing stops b _efore_ the age of eighteen."


	14. Chapter 14

"Don't start, Tommy," Joel warned.

"So, are you and Esther together yet?" Tommy asked, ignoring his older brother.

Joel grunted.

Tommy picked up his plate and took it to the sink before taking his seat at the table again, straightening out his black sweatshirt and jeans. "I'm waiting."

Joel shook his head, annoyed. "No, Tommy. Esther and I aren't together."

"Yet."

Joel picked up his plate and placed it by the sink as well. He walked to Tommy's fridge and grabbed the milk, pouring himself a glass. He looked toward the stairs.

After Joey got dressed, placing on a pair of brown pants and blue shirt, Ellie joined him in his room to hang out. Maria was out collecting food for their evening meal.

Joel sat down again in front of Tommy as his younger brother continued the conversation they had had many times before.

"You can't be alone forever," Tommy insisted.

"I'm not alone," Joel said, taking another drink of milk. "And I'm changing the subject."

"The hell you are," Tommy said with a laugh. "This is my house. Now, I personally thought the frame Esther made you for Sarah's picture was nice."

Joel placed his glass on the table a little harder than was necessary. "It is nice," he growled. "I thought that it was a great prelude to 'hey I'm getting married in a few months and I'd like you to be there'."

Tommy was uncharacteristically silent for a moment. "I uh, I didn't know that. Sorry, Joel."

Joel lowered his gaze to the table. "It's fine. I've never had much luck with women."

"Okay… So, how is Ellie," Tommy asked, changing the subject.

"I think she's doing alright," Joel said. "Some nights can be hard, though."

"Don't I know it," Tommy said, leaning back in his chair. "Nightmares still?"

Joel nodded and lowered his voice. "She still won't talk about them, but I always know. She keeps her knife under her pillow when she goes to bed. Some mornings it's on the desk. Some…" Joel let out a breath. " _Most_ mornings it's in her hand when she wakes up."

Tommy leaned forward. "You still having _your_ nightmares?"

Joel ran his hand through his beard. "Yeah."

Tommy shifted uncomfortably and changed the subject again. "So, is Ellie seeing anyone yet?"

"Is Joey?" Joel countered.

Tommy glanced toward the stairs. "Not yet, there's a few girls I wouldn't mind seeing him talk too," he said, taking a drink of his own milk. "Whether he'll actually talk to a girl on his own accord is still a mystery. Anyone Ellie likes?"

"Not that I know of," Joel said, rubbing his eyes. "She has a few admirers though."

"Uh-huh," Tommy said, leaning forward. "These admirers are still alive, right?"

"For now. It's too bad we live in a town with laws. If we were in Boston—"

"Motherfucker!"

Joel and Tommy glanced toward the stairs.

"Joey must have said something to piss Ellie off again," Tommy said calmly. "That kid's going to get himself killed."

Suddenly, there was a loud crash and the sound of wood breaking from upstairs. Moments later, they started hearing dulled thumping accompanied by the sound of pained grunts. Joel and Tommy locked eyes before bolting up the stairs.

Joel entered the room first. A broken shelf lay on the ground. Joey was lying on his back near the shelf. Ellie was on top of him, repeatedly balling up her fists and hitting any part of his body she could find.

"Ellie!" Joel shouted. He ran forward and attempted to haul her off.

"Don't touch me!" Ellie shouted. "I'm gonna fucking kill him!"

Tommy stood off to the side laughing.

Joel shot a glare in his direction.

Still laughing, Tommy walked over and assisted Joel in hauling Ellie away from Joey. Joel managed to grab Ellie by the arms and maneuver her against the wall next to the bedroom door. He held her there. She eventually stopped struggling but continued to glare at Joey.

"What the hell is going on?" Joel asked sternly.

Across the room, Joey attempted to rise.

Tommy placed his foot on Joey's chest and pinned him to the ground. "Stay there," he said quietly.

Ellie's face was still red with anger. "He… he…"

Joel removed his hands from Ellie's arms.

Ellie calmed down slightly and shook her head. "Never mind," she grunted. "I'm going to work." She brushed past Joel and walked out the door without looking at Joey.

Joel called after her. "You don't work today."

"I do now!" Ellie shouted from the stairs.

"We _will_ talk about this when you get home!"

"Whatever!"

Joel turned back to Tommy who still hadn't removed his boot from Joey's chest.

"What did you say to her?" Tommy asked sternly.

"I…" Joey looked terrified. "I was only joking."

Tommy increased the pressure, causing Joey to lie back on the ground. "I doubt it," he growled. "What? Did? You? Say?"

"I suggested…" Joey looked away.

"Uh-uh," Tommy said with a shake of his head. "Look me in the eye."

Joey looked up. "Look, I only suggested that with her immunity, she could repopulate the earth and save humanity."

Tommy took a step back, his mouth wide open. He glanced at Joel, who was equally shocked and angry. Tommy looked back at Joey. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

"It was only a joke…" Joey said as he backed further into the corner.

Tommy ran his hand through his hair angrily. "Would you like to kill him?" he asked Joel. "Or should I?"

"I'll hide the body," Joel replied.

Maria entered the room, wearing black jacket and blue jeans. "Is everything okay?" she asked. "I saw Ellie on the way in. She seemed… what the hell happened in here?"

Tommy sighed and shook his head. He glared at Joey. "You tell her."

Tommy grabbed Joel by the shoulder and they descended the stairs together. "Joel, I'm sorry," he said quickly. "I can't believe he said something like that. Had I known, I would have let Ellie kill him."

"Excuse me?" Maria shouted from the bedroom.

"It's fine," Joel said. "Look, I'll talk to you later."

Maria continued shouting.

"I think I actually have to save my son's life now," Tommy said. He looked at Joel. "We good?"

"We're good," Joel assured him. "See you later."

A minutes later, Joel unlocked the door to his house and walked inside. With a sigh, he walked to the kitchen and threw the keys on the table before sitting down. _Jesus. Ellie has never gone off like that. This has been bothering her longer than I realized. How didn't I notice it?_

Joel sat at the table for a minute before retrieving Sarah's soccer ball and a few cleaning supplies from his bedroom. He spent the next hour cleaning and polishing the ball, attempting to make it look as it had twenty-three years earlier.

All the while, Joel thought of Ellie. _How do I handle this? Dating. Boys. Oh, God. The Talk. I think I'd rather take on a pack of Bloaters._ _I didn't even get practice with Sarah._ Joel's grip on the ball slipped and it almost rolled off the table.

Joel quickly grabbed the ball, stopping it on the edge of the table. He looked at Sarah's hand writing. It was faded but still legible. Joel wiped away a tear forming in his eye and rose.


	15. Chapter 15

Joel sat on the northwest section of the Wall, filling in for the night watch duty. The sun was slowly beginning to set. He hadn't seen Ellie since her encounter with Joey.

Ellie's guitar landed beside him. Moments later, Ellie hauled herself on the Wall using the nearby ladder. She sat next to him and glanced over at the man further along the Wall.

The man was repeatedly shooting his unloaded gun at an imaginary target. Joel looked at Ellie. He was about to say something when she rose to her feet and walked over to the man.

"You need to keep the stock against your shoulder when you're firing," Ellie explained. "If you don't, the kickback of the rifle will send you flying off the Wall."

The man adjusted the rifle and gave her a small nod of thanks.

Ellie sat back down next to Joel and grabbed her guitar.

Joel stared at the man on the Wall who was now holding his rifle correctly. _I taught her too well. Shame on me._

They sat in silence for a few minutes.

Ellie let out an annoyed sigh. "Okay, say it."

Joel gave her a small smile. "Joey told us what he said," he started. "I don't suppose you want to talk about it."

"Do I ever want to talk about shit like this?" Ellie asked. She began to fidget with the bite covered by her shirt and sighed. "What would people _normally_ say?"

"Well, I don't think this exact topic of conversation has ever come up before," Joel said, rubbing the back of his head. A shadow crossed Ellie's face. Joel took a deep breath, stroking his watch gently with his thumb. "But one day, you will probably find someone you care about and decide… anyway it'll probably happen one day. But it'll be on your terms."

"Not likely," Ellie said bitterly.

Joel was silent for a moment. Then he lowered his voice and leaned in closer. "Well, there is that boy down the street. I think he has a crush on you."

Ellie opened her mouth to reply. Instead, she grabbed a nearby water bottle and filled her mouth with water. After making a few gagging sounds, she bent over the edge of the Wall and spat out the water making the best puking sounds she could.

"Not that you should feel rushed," Joel continued. "You can wait a few… decades."

Ellie relaxed a little and sat back. "I doubt that I'll ever meet anyone who can accept…" Ellie was silent a moment before she punched Joel lightly on the arm. "Besides, who would hang out with _you_ if _I_ found someone?"

Joel remained silent.

Ellie glanced at the street behind her. "Are Tommy and Maria mad at me?" she asked.

"Not at you," Joel said. "Last I heard, Joey was fixing the shelf in his room. Maria and Tommy are still coming up with their own punishments."

"Maybe I'll apologize to him later if I feel he deserves it," Ellie grumbled. She took a drink of water. "Or I'll just finish the job. Who knows? Can we change subjects now?"

Joel glanced up at the darkening sky. "We only have about fifteen minutes of sun. You wanna practice tonight?"

"Why not," Ellie shrugged. "Maybe we'll make it all the way through the song this time."

"It took three years, but I think we did alright considering I had to shake off the rust _and_ teach you how to play," Joel said, grabbing his guitar. "Plus, we both had to learn the song."

"Why do we have to start over every time one of us messes up?" Ellie asked as she positioned her own guitar correctly.

"The same reason I've always given you," Joel answered as he strummed his own guitar a few times. "The more we repeat, the better we get. Muscle memory."

Ellie rolled her eyes. "Alright. You lead, as always. "

Joel strummed the first few notes in the song.

As he finished, Ellie started where he left off, continuing until she finished the first part of the song.

And so they practiced as they had for three years. Each time one of them stopped playing; the other picked up and kept going.

They supported each other.

Joel kept his eyes on the horizon.

Ellie started the next part of the song. As always, she kept her eyes fixed on Joel. She hit a particularly difficult part of the song and played through it flawlessly.

Joel shot her a quick smile and picked up where she left off. As he continued the song, he looked at Ellie and saw a shift of emotion in her eyes. Joel knew that the next part was always hardest for Ellie.

They had never made it completely through this section of the song.

 ** _…_**

Ellie was lost in the song. Her eyes were closed in concentration as she began to play again. This part of the song had always made her feel sad. She reached the most powerful moment and attempted play through it.

 _It's all your fault… You will be alone… It's all your fault…It was your responsibility…_

Ellie's memories of her nightmares and fears caused her to miss a note. She shook her head in frustration and laid down the guitar. "Dammit."

Joel placed his own guitar in front of him and looked at Ellie. "You almost got it," he said encouragingly. "You need to keep going after you miss a note. I barely noticed it that time."

"I know what I have to do, Joel," Ellie snapped.

Joel was unaffected by the attitude. "When you truly believe that, you won't freeze."

Ellie remained silent and stared out into the setting sun. Beyond the trees, she saw large storm clouds brewing.

They were silent for a few minutes.

Joel picked up his guitar. "You want to try again?"

"No," Ellie answered. "Let's try again tomorrow."

As she went to stand, Joel put a hand on her shoulder, stopping her momentarily. "I know you get sick of hearing this," he said. "But if you ever want to talk, I'm here."

Ellie shrugged his hand off and climbed down the ladder, one hand holding her guitar. _You only want to talk about what life is, not what it was. That was always your problem._


	16. Chapter 16

Lightning flashed and thunder sounded again, tearing Ellie out of yet another nightmare. It was a few seconds before Ellie realized where she was. She slowly uncurled her fingers from her knife.

 _The only thing worse than nightmares, is storms while having nightmares._ Ellie sighed and laid back on the pillow. Sleep never came easily in a storm. Tonight would be no exception.

Ellie reached over and turned on her CD player as she always did after late-night nightmares. She glanced at the clock next to her bed. _Not even midnight. Dammit. Why can't I ever have these things at like, four in the morning? That way I can just get up._

Ellie closed her eyes.

Another flash of lightning lit the room. A new kind of thunder sounded. They were small, short rumblings. Ellie's eyes snapped open. _That's not thunder… Gunfire!_

Ellie sprang out of bed and pulled on a pair of blue jeans and her red and black sweatshirt. She ran into the storm, locking the front door behind her.

 ** _…_**

"Tommy, get down!"

Joel yanked Tommy behind the makeshift cover on top of an old RV. The stone cinderblocks they had set up as cover shook as a few bullets made contact.

Joel peeked out of cover briefly and leveled his rifle, taking a shot at one of the ten Bandits shooting at them from the tree line fifty feet away.

The Bandit took cover. Another moved out from behind a tree to take a shot at Joel. Tommy shot the man in the chest, sending him tumbling down the hill that lay just past the trees.

As the brothers paused to reload their rifles, Tommy wiped rain out of his face. "Where the hell did these guys come from?"

Joel shook his head, shouting over the storm. "I don't know! They waited until the storm hit before they attacked! The electric fence must've lost power!"

"That explains how they were able to sneak up on us," Tommy said as they ducked again.

"We had no idea they were here until they were shooting at us!" Joel replied. "Are there attacks anywhere else?"

"No," Tommy answered. "It's just here."

Joel and Tommy looked out of cover and quickly moved back as the Bandits fired again. A man further along the Wall screamed in pain and fell backwards. He landed hard on the street below. Tommy leaned out of cover and shot the Bandit responsible in the head.

Joel jumped down and ran to the man who had fallen from the Wall. He laid still, his blood seeping slowly through the cracks in the ground.

Joel bowed his head. He bolted back up the ladder and rejoined Tommy as more reinforcements from Jackson joined the fight. More gunfire followed as both sides began to fire.

As two more Bandits fell, Tommy took a shot at another Bandit who was attempting to sneak around the tree line. The bullet went through the man's leg, causing him to drop to his knees.

Joel threw aside his empty rifle and pulled out his pistol. He leaned out of cover and finished off the wounded man with a shot to the head.

The other three men on the Wall continued firing and another two Bandits fell. There was a break in the gunfire as two Bandits looked at each other. They fired off few more rounds before retreating into the tree line, leaving one Bandit behind.

Joel and Tommy took a breath of relief as the Bandit ducked behind a tree to avoid fire from the Wall.

"It's over," Tommy said. "They're running."

Joel thought for a moment and shook his head. "It's not over yet," he argued. "We don't know how many more are out there."

Tommy reloaded his rifle and glared at Joel. "No fucking way! It ain't worth it."

Joel shook the rain out of his hair again. "They could be an even bigger problem later if I don't," he countered calmly. "We have to know how many more there are."

"Do you see any more?" someone on the wall asked.

"I don't see anything," someone answered.

Joel placed one of his hands on the edge of the RV, preparing to jump over.

Tommy tugged on his arm. "Ellie's going to kill you if you go over alone!"

Joel hesitated for a moment. He glanced at the streets of Jackson. "I have to get back for her to kill me," he replied. A moment later, he jumped over the Wall.

 ** _…_**

Ellie saw Joel hop over the RV. She climbed on top of the RV and saw flashes of light to the left of the trees.

Ellie shoved Tommy down as bullets ricocheted off the cinderblocks in front of them.

"Ellie!" Tommy shouted. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"You're fucking welcome!" Ellie snapped. She glanced over their cover before ducking back down. "There's three more of them on the left!"

Ellie and Tommy watched as the fourth Bandit looked at the trees behind him suspiciously. Ellie followed the Bandit's gaze and saw Joel disappear into the tree line.

"Where is Joel going?" Ellie demanded as the rain finally started to die down.

Tommy waved another man over to cover their section of the Wall, then turned to Ellie. "He's making sure there's not any more of them," he explained.

They ducked down again as bullets sprayed the RV. Ellie glanced up in time to see the fourth Bandit turn and run in Joel's direction. Tommy saw the man and took a shot at him. The bullet hit the tree a few inches away from the man.

Tommy cursed and ducked back down to reload as the Bandit disappeared.

Ellie looked at Tommy as the rain stopped completely. "That guy's heading for Joel!"

"Don't even think about it!" Tommy said sternly.

A man next to them groaned in pain as a bullet ripped through his arm.

Ellie ducked down again.

Tommy examined the man's wound. "Non-fatal," he said, putting a hand on the man's shoulder. "I need you to keep shooting, alright?"

Ellie took the opportunity to jump over the RV. She turned back and saw Tommy make an attempt to follow. He was forced to take cover as the three remaining Bandits took a shot at him.

Ellie turned forward and continued to pursue the Bandit and Joel down the hill as the clouds shifted.

 ** _…_**

Joel was breathing hard. The storm had stopped and moonlight filled the forest, illuminating the wet ground. The only sounds were Joel's own movements and that of fresh drops of water falling from the trees.

Joel had little trouble tracking the Bandit's through the muddy forest. Upon reaching Jackson's first line of defense at the bottom of the hill, Joel found he was right about how the Bandit's got in.

The electric fence was inactive and would have posed little challenge to climb.

Joel pressed on. At last, he heard a nervous voice ahead of him. "We shouldn't have tried this," the voice was saying. "We shouldn't have—"

"Shut up!" a more commanding voice snapped. "We had no way of knowing they had that many guns. Let's just catch our breath and keep going."

Joel moved closer. From behind a tree, he could now see the Bandits in greater detail. _Military clothing. Who the hell are these guys?_

The nervous man spoke again. "What about our other guys?"

Joel checked his gun again. _I'm going to have to be quick._

"They're probably dead," another Bandit said. "We move on. Where the hell's Jack?"

Joel swung around the tree and prepared to shoot at the Bandits in the small clearing. He heard a gun click behind his head. "Don't even think about it," said the Bandit behind him. "Give me the gun and walk."

Joel let out a frustrated breath and dropped his weapon. The Bandit picked up the gun and shoved it in his baggy pants' pocket.

Joel was marched into the clearing. "Look what I found here, boys!" Joel's captor said loudly.

The largest, commanding man of the group gave Joel a small sinister smile. The small man who had been nervously talking stood off to the side. Joel risked a glance behind him and saw his captor was not much larger than himself.

The leader of the group marched forward punched Joel with a right hook, sending him tumbling to the ground. Joel attempted to rise and found himself pinned to a tree by the man's boot.

The large man looked at the smaller Bandit. "Make sure there's no more around."

Joel spat out blood and kept his eyes on the man above him. He had a much bigger build than Joel. A small glint around the Bandit's neck caught Joel's eye.

 ** _…_**

Ellie crouched to the ground as she heard voices _. Dammit, Joel. Why would you go alone?_

Ellie crawled behind a tree, listened for a moment, and then took a quick glance at the clearing. There was a large man standing over Joel. Another man sat off to the side, looking around. They all had guns.

Ellie ducked back behind the tree and grabbed her knife. _How the fuck am I going to get him out of this? Hold on, Joel._

Joel spoke. "Why do you have Firefly pendants?"

Ellie swung around the tree again, rising to a knee. She could clearly see Joel now. He had a bloody lip, but was otherwise unharmed. Ellie rose and took a small step forward to get a better view.

"Because we're all that's left," the man standing over Joel answered. "The Fireflies disbanded after some crazy shit happened in Salt Lake City three years ago. Now shut up."

Ellie stumbled slightly when the man mentioned Salt Lake City. She stepped on a stick, snapping it with a loud crack. _Shit._

Suddenly, a man grabbed Ellie from behind. "I got you!" he shouted.

Ellie attempted to stab with the knife and the man threw her down the hill. Ellie landed hard on her side as all the air left her body. Her knife fell to the ground halfway up the hill. Ellie rolled over and looked at Joel. There was no small amount of fear etched on his bearded face.

 ** _…_**

Joel watched as a gasping Ellie was hauled to her feet. The second man in the clearing had wrapped an arm around her neck.

Ellie tried to head-butt him, but she was too short. "Let go of me you mother—"

The man tightened his grip on her neck briefly. The brief loss of air circulation caused Ellie to be silent, but she continued to kick and flail.

Joel's pistol fell from the man's pants pocket. The Bandit quickly kicked the weapon away.

The small man who'd discovered Ellie walked down the hill and stood off to the side.

"Now, who is this?" the larger man asked, removing his boot from Joel's chest.

Joel tried to move and was quickly pushed down. "Nobody," he grunted. "She's unarmed. Let her go."

Ellie finally went still, though she didn't remain silent. "Let me go and I'll kick your asses!"

The large man laughed. "Not likely. You got fight, though. Too bad the Fireflies didn't have more like you in Salt Lake."

Ellie looked at Joel. "Do you know what this asshole is talking about?" she asked.

Joel could hear the accusation in her voice.

"Just keep quiet, Ellie," Joel firmly.

"Enough of this bullshit," the large man interrupted. He hauled Joel to his feet, turned him toward Ellie, and placed a gun against the back of Joel's head. "Let's wrap this up."

Ellie started struggling again. She pushed off the ground with her legs, opened her mouth wide, and sunk her teeth into her captor's finger.

The Bandit screamed in pain. "Fuck!"

The Bandit threw Ellie to the ground and kicked her hard, rolling her onto her side. Ellie started crawled backward, searching the ground for a weapon.

Joel seized his moment. He launched himself backwards, driving the large Bandit into a tree. The man's gun dropped to the ground as Joel elbowed him hard in the face. Joel turned, grabbed the Bandit's head, and smashed it into the tree.

Joel was grabbed from behind by the third man. The large Bandit recovered and retrieved his gun.

BANG. BANG. BANG.

All was silent. The man behind Joel slumped to the ground. The large man fell forward, blood oozing from his forehead. Joel swung around. The small Bandit was laying on his back. His face held a permanent look of surprise. There were two holes bullet holes on either side of the man's head.

Joel's eyes rested on the only figure still standing. Her green eyes scanned the area, searching for further threats. The smoking weapon was held tightly in her hands. There was no thought to her actions. No reaction at all.

Joel looked on in horror. _Oh God._ "Ellie!"


	17. Chapter 17

Ellie lowered the gun slightly and continued to scan the surrounding area.

Joel rose and quickly walked toward her. "Put the gun down!" he said sharply. "Now!"

Ellie was surprised by the anger in his voice. "What's wrong?"

Joel grabbed the gun and roughly pushed her hands away.

"Ow!" Ellie said, rubbing her hand. "What the hell, Joel?"

Joel shoved the gun into his belt and grabbed Ellie's shoulder, turning her toward the hill that led back to Jackson. "Let's go."

Ellie shoved his hand off and stepped back. "What the fuck is your problem?" she snapped. "I come out here to save your ass and you—"

Joel started up the hill. "Enough, Ellie. Let's go."

Ellie didn't move. "What are you so afraid of, Joel?" she asked, raising her voice. "Is it that I followed you? Or is it the fact that we're alive because I got hold of a gun? You know, it's about Goddamn time, because I can fire a gun better than half the people on the Wall!"

"I did what I did in Salt Lake so that you would never have to pick up a gun again!" Joel snapped.

Ellie froze. "What happened in Salt Lake City, Joel?" she asked quietly.

Joel shook his head. "Let it go, Ellie. We need to get back." He started to walk up the hill again.

Ellie crouched, grabbed a small broken branch from the ground, and hurled it at Joel. It collided with his shoulder causing him to stop in his tracks.

Ellie took another step forward. "What _happened_ in Salt Lake City, Joel?" she shouted.

"I lied!" Joel shouted as he spun toward her.

Ellie took a step back. A few seconds later, her hands curled into fists. _I knew he was lying._ "What did you do?"

Joel walked down the hill and stood close to her. "They were going to kill you, Ellie," he said quietly with anger in his voice. "They were going to cut you open and kill you. All for something that had no guarantee of success. It may not have even mattered."

Ellie opened her mouth again, but she didn't know what to say. _He lied for three fucking years. He took away everything that mattered to me._ "You…" Ellie shoved Joel as hard as she could. "You fucking swore to me, Joel!"

Joel shook his head and grabbed Ellie's shoulder again. "Let's get moving."

Ellie stalked forward. She stopped to grab her knife and pocketed it.

 ** _…_**

Tommy finished cleaning the wound on a guard's arm.

Maria handed him a small bandage. "So, you haven't seen Joel or Ellie?" she asked.

Tommy shook his head. "No, but…" He looked over at Joey, who was glancing down the street nervously. Tommy raised his voice so that his son could hear him. "But I'm sure they're fine."

Joey nodded and looked down the street again. A few seconds later, a look of relief spread across his face. "There they are!"

"Thank God," Tommy muttered, letting out a sigh of relief.

As Ellie and Joel approached, Tommy knew something was wrong.

Joey moved forward.

"Joey," Tommy warned as he reached for his son's jacket. Joey kept moving. Tommy walked into the street. "Hey, hold on!"

Joey ignored his father and ran toward Ellie. He spoke as he reached her. "Look, Ellie, I'm really sorry about this morning."

Tommy watched as Ellie shoved Joey aside roughly. "Get the fuck away from me, Joey!" she shouted.

Joel was walking only a few steps behind. "Ellie!"

Tommy reached Joey and put his hand on his shoulder. He grabbed Joel's arm. "What's—"

"Later, Tommy."

Joey looked at the ground. "What did I do now?" he asked.

Tommy continued to watch Joel and Ellie walk toward their house. "Oh shit," he said as his older brother reached the door.

Maria put her hand on Joey's other shoulder. "What was that about?" she asked.

Tommy ran a hand down his face. "Ellie knows."

 ** _…_**

Ellie stopped at the door as Joel searched for his key.

Joel cursed under his breath, finding that the key wasn't in his pocket.

Ellie reached into her pocket, unlocked the door with her own key, and kicked it open before dramatically waving Joel in.

Joel walked into the house without a word.

Ellie walked in behind him and slammed the door as hard as she could. She turned and gave Joel a challenging look.

"Hey!" Joel said sternly, attempting to keep his voice in control. "Just because you are pissed off at me, doesn't mean you have to take it out on Joey!"

Ellie roughly shoved Joel aside as she walked past him.

Joel grabbed her by the shoulder and turned her around. "Will you just say something to me?" he asked.

When Ellie looked at him, she could do nothing to control the anger and hurt in her eyes. "I hate you," she said quietly.

Joel let his hand drop.

Ellie moved to the kitchen.

Joel followed her. "You know what?" he said as they stopped next to the kitchen table. "You don't have to like me. That is your choice. But I made my own choices and you're going to have to live with them."

Ellie slammed her key on the table. Sarah's soccer ball fell to the floor. "Did you ever even think to ask what I would have wanted?" she snapped. "Did Marlene—"

Joel lowered his gaze.

Ellie's mouth fell open. _Holy shit. He killed her._ "You son of a bitch," Ellie whispered. She walked toward her room, raising her voice. "You son of a bitch!"

Ellie kicked an object in her path as hard as she could.

Sarah's soccer ball bounced off the wall and hit Joel's ankle.

"Goddamnit, Sarah, I'm sorry!"


	18. Chapter 18

Joel lowered his gaze. _I can't believe I said that._ When he looked at Ellie again, he froze. Her face held the same look that haunted many of his nightmares. The look was the worst mixture of anger, hate, sadness, and worst of all, hurt.

Joel took a deep breath and let his anger go. "Ellie…"

Ellie simply shook her head. "I'm not your daughter, Joel," she said with quiet loathing. She looked him in the eye. "And you are not my father."

Joel took a step back.

Ellie turned and closed the door to her room.

The quiet click made Joel jump as if she'd slammed it. _It's over._

Joel turned and walked outside after grabbing Ellie's key off the table. He wiped more tears away and looked at the moon.

Tommy exited his house and walked toward him. "Joel…"

Joel turned away, unable to look at anyone. He looked at the ground. A few seconds later, he felt Tommy's hand on his shoulder. "Let's get a drink," his brother suggested.

 ** _…_**

Ellie sat on her bed, seething in anger. She grasped her blankets tightly. Seconds later, she released them as her nostrils flared.

 ** _…_**

Joel sat at Tommy's table. The room was lit only by the moonlight coming through the window.

Tommy was bathed in light.

Joel was left in shadow.

"We lost three men tonight," Tommy said sadly, handing Joel a beer and opening one for himself. "A few were wounded, but they'll recover. We also managed to chase off the Bandit's that showed up after you left. I think I got one of them in the leg."

Joel said nothing.

Tommy glanced toward the stairs, making sure that they were alone. "What the hell happened out there, Joel?"

Joel opened his mouth to speak but couldn't. He took a drink and sighed. "She got a gun," he said finally. "She killed them all, Tommy. She killed them all."

Tommy took a drink of his own beer. "That doesn't explain—"

Joel looked down. "They were Fireflies. At least… they used to be. They said they were all that was left. I took the gun from her… she got angry… I got angry… I told her everything."

"Damn…" Tommy said, running a hand through his hair. "What happened in the house?"

Joel took another drink before continuing. "She figured out that I killed them all. All of them. Including Marlene. She got so angry. She… I…"

Joel trailed off as Maria walked in from outside. "I've called for reports every hour," she said. "We'll keep them up until morning."

Maria looked at the brothers. She walked up to the table and took a drink of Tommy's beer. "I'll go see how Joey's doing," she said.

Tommy grasped her hand briefly. Maria walked upstairs.

Joel remained silent for a minute. "I called her Sarah," he said finally. His voice cracked. He let out a sharp breath and covered his face with a hand. His entire body began to shake. Tears began to flow down his face. "I called her Sarah… I hurt her, and there's no way to take it back."

 ** _…_**

Ellie forced herself to release the sheets. She looked at her bedside clock. It was one in the morning.

Ellie closed her eyes. When she opened them, the walls began to close in. The shadows started to creep toward her.

 _I have to get out._ Ellie jumped from the bed. She opened her closet door and grabbed her guitar reflexively. She reached for her bow, a few arrows, and her backpack. _I have to get out._ _Just for a while._

Ellie exited the house and started walking as quickly as she could. She moved toward the nearest exit on the south section of the Wall.

A guard glanced down at her. "Where you going, kid?"

"I'm going for a walk. Joel knows," Ellie lied.

The guard looked skeptical. "I don't think this is a good idea," the man finally said. "You should go home, kid."

Someone called the guard from further down the Wall.

Ellie kept on moving. She climbed the ladder, jumped over the Wall, and left Jackson without another word.

 ** _…_**

Joel returned home. He opened the door using Ellie's key, walked into the kitchen, and gently picked up Sarah's soccer ball before depositing it in his bedroom.

Joel walked back downstairs and stood in front of Ellie's closed door. The lights were still on in her room. There was no sound.

Joel reached for the doorknob, but stopped himself. Instead, he sat down and rested his back on the door. "I'm sorry," he whispered. Sleep overtook him.

 ** _…_**

Ellie reached the tree line. She continued walking as fast as she could. Her haste did nothing to calm the emotion inside of her.

Ellie began to run.

She ran for a minute. _He fucking lied._

Ten minutes. _Why couldn't he just tell me?_

Twenty minutes. _Why didn't he give me a choice?_

After forty-five minutes, Ellie began to tire. Tears were now openly streaming from her eyes. She had reached a small river. Breathing heavily, she dropped her guitar, fell to her knees, and vomited on the ground _._

 _Why… He killed her… Marlene was the closest thing I had to a…she was my friend…_

Ellie screamed in anger and began to throw anything she could find in the river. Stones, rocks, sticks, anything she could reach. She grabbed a large object from the ground and threw it as hard as she could.

The guitar landed in the water with soft splash.

Ellie placed her face in her hands, breathing hard. _That son of a bitch! I thought he was my…_

Ellie sighed with a shudder and looked at the moonlit water. Her guitar started to float away.

"No…" Ellie dropped her backpack and bow before taking off into the water.

Ellie swam faster than she ever had. Each stroke brought her closer to the guitar.

Each stroke brought back the best and worst of memories.

Stroke. _Riley._

Stroke. _Joel taught me._

Stroke. _Joel protected me._

Stroke. _Joel cared for me._

Stroke. _Joel lied._

Stroke. _I lost everything._

Stroke. _Everything but him._

Stroke. _Goddamnit, Sarah, I'm sorry!_

Stroke. _Now I've lost him too._

Ellie reached the guitar. _I'm sorry._ She hugged the guitar to her chest. _I can't lose this too._

Ellie floated in deep water, silently crying. There was a shift in the water behind her. Suddenly, something grabbed onto her ankle and yanked her underwater.

Ellie began to claw at the water, desperately trying to resurface. She clamped her mouth shut to preserve what air she had left. She looked all around her. When she looked down, she saw the head of a Runner.

It tugged and pulled her further under the water. Ellie let out a small scream as the Runner sunk a claw-like nail into her leg. She stopped struggling briefly.

The Runner started to drag her down further. It grabbed at her right arm, ripping through the sleeve of her shirt.

Ellie desperately grabbed at her jeans for her knife. She flipped it opened and jabbed down as hard as she could at the Runner's head. The water slowed her down and the first two blows were dulled. On the third impact, the knife broke skin.

Ellie stabbed three more times. The Runner finally slumped and went still, its blood floating up through the water. The Runner's grip on her ankle remained tight.

Ellie looked up at the surface. _It's too far._ Ellie reached down and attempted to pry open the Runner's fingers. She felt her oxygen leaving her as she attempted to extract herself.

Ellie jerked. She was out of air.

Ellie looked up again as the lights began to dim. She tightened her grip on her knife. Ellie felt a vibration in the water. The Runner's grip lightened. A moment later, Ellie felt an arm wrap around her stomach. She began to ascend.

As Ellie broke the surface of the water, she took in several large breaths. Her guitar was nowhere to be seen. Ellie was being dragged backwards, toward the shore. She continued to gasp for air.

Ellie felt her feet hit the sand and the movement stopped. She turned and saw her guitar lying on the beach beside a black military backpack. Ellie started moving again, her feet dragging backward through the sand.

Ellie attempted to get her feet under her. She coughed as her rescuer continued to drag her away from the water.

"Joel?" Ellie gasped. _It's always Joel._

"You… are a fucking moron."

The voice held no southern accent and it sounded much younger. _Not_ _Joel!_

Ellie jumped and swung her head around in an attempt to break the man's nose. Ellie hit nothing. She was suddenly dropped to the ground. Ellie turned quickly, her knife in hand.

A young man stood before her. He was only a few inches taller than Ellie. He had a pair of dark, worn hiking boots. The bottom of his blue jeans were ripped and frayed from long travel.

On his belt, he held a large carabiner clip that served has a makeshift holder for a weapon. He wore a black sweater with long sleeves and a dark blue t-shirt. In his arms, he held a handmade, wooden crossbow with a small steel ring on the stock.

The crossbow bore an arrow that was currently pointed at Ellie's chest.

Both figures were silent for a moment. The only sound was that of the water droplets pouring off of them.

"You really have to work on this appreciation thing," the young man said, breaking the silence. "You swam into a river without even thinking about what might be out there. You're lucky I was here."

Ellie didn't move a muscle. She held her knife tightly.

The young man motioned to the ground with his crossbow. "Put that knife down."

Ellie shot a glance at her bow. It was lying in the sand a few feet away.

Ellie looked back at the young man, who still held the crossbow at eyelevel. "Go to hell!" She replied.

"Look around," the young man said with a chuckle. "We're here. Now, put down the knife."

Ellie knew she couldn't fight back. She slowly closed the knife and placed it in her back pocket. As she brought her hand back around, her newly exposed bite mark reflected in the moonlight.

The young man's eyes widened.

Ellie quickly reached down and threw sand into his face. As the young man cursed and covered his eyes, Ellie lunged for her bow and backpack. She quickly grabbed an arrow and drew it back, turning at the same time as the young man.

Once again, both figures stood perfectly still.

Ellie could now see the details of the young man's face in the moonlight. His skin complexion was slightly darker than Ellie's and tanned. He had no facial hair. His long, dark brown hair was held back in ponytail that reached his shoulders. He had blue eyes that reflected brightly in the moonlight.

The young man took a step closer.

Ellie took a step back. "Don't move any closer!" she warned.

"You're infected," the young man replied. He tightened his grip on the crossbow.

"I'm immune," Ellie said.

"Bullshit."

Ellie took a step closer. "I'm immune. I've had this bite for three fucking years. I haven't changed."

There was another silence. The young man let out a breath of frustration. "It doesn't matter. This standoff is getting us nowhere. Put down the bow or I will shoot you."

Ellie didn't move. "I'll shoot you before I hit the ground."

"You wanna play this game?" the young man grunted. "Fine. You're out of breath and you look like you've been running for hours." He took another step forward.

Ellie tried to think of a way out of the situation.

"That weapon you're using is only good until your arm gets tired," the young man continued. "I have a _crossbow._ I can hold this steady and balanced for hours."

Ellie gulped. _Fuck. He's right._

The young man raised an eyebrow. "So where does that leave us?"

Ellie drew the arrow back a little farther. "I'm not putting my bow down," she said determinedly. "Not until you do."

The young man took a deep breath. "How about we make a deal."

"I'm all ears."

The young man's eyes flicked to the sky. "We both lower our weapons. Then we wait."

Ellie didn't move. "Wait for what?"

"Morning," the young man replied, lowering his crossbow slightly. "In about four hours, the sun's going to come up. I've seen that bites start to look different in the first three hours. In four hours, we'll know if you are immune."

Ellie thought for a moment. _My arm is getting tired. Can I trust him?_ She looked into the young man's eyes. There was determination, but not deception. Ellie's arm began to shake. _I've got to make my decision._ She steadied grip and looked at the young man. "You first."

The young man rolled his eyes lowered his weapon, removing the arrow.

Ellie hesitated only a moment before relaxing her grip. She lowered her bow and never broke eye contact with the young man. "Now what?" she asked.

"Now, I go and gather firewood and you catch your breath," the young man answered. He clipped his crossbow to his belt. "Stay away from the water. If you need food, there's some fruit in the second zipper of my backpack."

Ellie watched as the young man disappeared into the forest. _Who the fuck is this guy?_ Ellie turned and picked up her guitar. It was still soaking wet. She used her sleeve as a towel, attempting to dry instrument.

The young man returned as Ellie was tipping her guitar back and forth in an attempt to get water out of the instrument.

The young man set up the firewood and took out a lighter.

The young man soon sat across the fire from Ellie. She kept watching him out of the corner of her eyes.

"You aren't going to get the water out like that," the young man commented.

"Did I ask you?"

"I guess not."

As the fire warmed them, Ellie set aside her guitar and her eyes began to close. She shook her head. _No way. Not happening._ She placed a hand in the sand and squeezed. The cool sand did little to help fight her exhaustion.

Once again, her actions didn't go unnoticed by the young man, who was now eating an apple across from her. "You should get some sleep," he said. "I can keep watch until morning."

Ellie didn't answer. Her hand drifted toward her knife in her back pocket.

The young man made no move for his weapon. He simply chuckled. "If I wanted you dead, you would be. Do yourself a favor and relax. It'll only be for a couple hours."

Ellie looked into the young man's eyes again. _The bullshit detector is silent… again._ _He's right. He could have killed me already._ With a sigh, she laid on her side, using her backpack as a pillow. She clutched her knife in one hand. "Only for a few minutes," she said. "And don't touch my stuff."

 ** _…_**

The young man walked the perimeter of the beach. When he returned, the redheaded young woman lay fast asleep on her side. The young man looked at the guitar beside her.


	19. Chapter 19

Joel awoke twenty minutes before sunrise. He rose from the floor and attempted to wipe the dried tears from his face.

He stumbled slightly as the events of the previous night came back to him. _How do I get through to her?_

Joel reached for Ellie's door. He hesitated for a moment. With a calming sigh, he opened the door. "Ellie?" he said softly. Nobody was in the room. Joel ran to the closet. The guitar was gone, along with Ellie's backpack and her bow. "Shit!"

Joel ran outside and across the street. He banged on Tommy's door. After twenty seconds that felt like hours, his brother opened the door, wiping his eyes. "Joel?"

"She's gone."

"Gone?" Tommy repeated. He looked down before looking up a half second later. "Give me five minutes."

Tommy exited the house two minutes later, wearing the clothes from the night before and stuffing something in his back pocket.

Joel was already moving down the street.

Tommy jogged to catch up. "Do you know how long she's been gone?" he asked.

Joel quickened his pace. "Since last night."

"Damn," Tommy said as he wiped the sleep out of his eyes again. "Alright, so, where are we going?"

Joel was silent until the brothers reached the section of the Wall that they had defended the night before. Joel wasted no time running up to the man on watch. "Did you see Ellie last night?"

The man shook his head.

Joel took a small sigh of relief and frustration.

Tommy put a hand on his shoulder.

Joel took off in the opposite direction.

Tommy ran beside him. "You wanted to make sure she wasn't heading back to Salt Lake City, weren't you?"

"Yes," Joel nodded. "Now we have to figure out which way she went."

Tommy stopped Joel and swung him around. "How do you know she left at all?"

"I just know."

They ran to the Wall on the south side of Jackson. "Have you seen Ellie?" Joel asked the watchman who was pacing on top of a boarded-up bus.

The man jumped down. "Yeah, she went for a walk early last night."

Joel grabbed him and tugged him close. "You let her leave?"

Tommy tugged on Joel's shoulder.

Joel let go.

"No," the man replied quickly, taking a few steps back. "I told her to go home. I turned around and she was gone. I thought she went home. She took her bow with her… I didn't even think about it. I'm sorry."

Joel walked past the man toward the Wall.

Tommy grabbed Joel again. "Hey, slow down," he said to his older brother.

Joel brushed off his hand. "She's out there alone," he snapped. "I'm going to get her. I can't let—"

Tommy grabbed Joel and tugged him away from the Wall. "Think, Joel! She's got a bow. She's a survivor," he said calmly, holding Joel in place. "But she's got a head start. How far are you going to get without any supplies?"

Joel took a deep breath. "Supplies… You're right."

Tommy led them to the general store. The sun was beginning to rise.

The shopkeeper stood outside his shop. "Hey, Tommy. Joel. Have you seen the girl? She's never late," he grunted as the brothers approached. The shopkeeper's face shifted from curiosity to concern when the brothers stopped before him, breathless. The shopkeeper's eyes narrowed. "Where is she?"

Tommy put a hand on the man's shoulder. "We need supplies."

"Follow me."

A minute later, inside the shop, the shopkeeper handed Joel a full backpack. "I kept this together for emergencies," he explained. "In there I've got your modified pistol and three full clips."

Joel grabbed the pistol out and restocked the gun. He shoved it into his belt. Next, he grabbed a flashlight from the behind the counter and clicked it on and off before attaching it to his shirt.

The shopkeeper turned and grabbed a knife behind him. It was a combat knife with a rubber hilt and a stainless, three-inch-long serrated blade. "This was brought in a while back," the shopkeeper continued. "Our scouts found the remains of a military unit. This baby can cut through pretty much anything, no problem."

Joel took the knife and placed it in his belt. The shopkeeper handed Joel a smaller bag of dried fruit that Joel threw into his backpack before pulling the bag around his shoulders.

Tommy placed a rifle on the table. "Give me all the ammo you got for that."

Joel put his hand on the rifle. "You're not coming with me, little brother," he said firmly.

"Bullshit," Tommy replied, keeping his hand on the rifle. "Ellie's out there and you can use all the help you can get."

Joel tugged the rifle away and slid it across the counter. "I have to do this alone. It's not your fault she's gone and it's not your job to get her back," he said. Tommy looked at him curiously. Joel lowered his voice. "You once said that your cause is your family. I won't take you away from them."

Joel led the way back to the houses. He ran into his house and up the stairs to his bedroom. He grabbed the framed picture of Sarah, looking at it for a moment before placing it in his backpack. Then he ran into his closet and grabbed the medical kit.

When Joel exited his house, he found Tommy, Joey, and Maria waiting. Maria, having been up all night, was also wearing the same dark clothing from the night before.

Maria walked straight up to Joel. "You bring her home," she ordered.

"Yes, ma'am."

Tommy walked up next. "I have something for you," he said quietly. He reached into his back pocket and withdrew a necklace. Joel took a small step back. It was Sarah's necklace. It looked exactly as it had two decades ago.

The necklace was held together by a brown string. At its base, there were thirteen alternating brown and white stones. Attached in the middle of the stones, was a white cross. The back of the necklace was held together by a small, silver chain.

Joel looked at Tommy. "You took it?"

"I took it when we were burying her. I…" Tommy hesitated. "I kept it for me, Joel. She was my niece."

Joel put a comforting hand on his brother's shoulder. "Then it's yours to keep."

Tommy extended his hand again. "You need it more than I do," he insisted. "Take it, Joel. Please."

Joel grabbed the necklace from Tommy's hand and pulled him into a hug. "Thank you." he whispered.

Tommy patted Joel's back. "If you're not back in a year, I'm coming out after you," he said firmly.

"Uncle Joel?"

Joel turned toward Joey who, until then, had been silent. The young man was still dressed in the clothes from the day before. "What about your guitar?" Joey asked shyly. "You and Ellie were always playing your guitars."

Joel gave him a small smile. He handed Joey the key to the house. "It's in my room," he said gently to his nephew. "How about you get it for me."

Joey ran into the house and returned a minute later with the guitar. "Here."

Joel ruffled Joey's hair. "Thanks, kid."

Joel looked at Tommy. "I'm sorry for… whatever there is to be sorry for."

Tommy folded his arms. "Don't talk to me as if you aren't coming back. Have faith, big brother. You'll find her and be home in one year."

Joel slowly nodded.

Tommy raised a finger. " _One year._ "

"One year," Joel repeated. He turned toward the Wall.


	20. Chapter 20

Ellie awoke with a start. The sun had risen and it took her a moment to realize where she was.

Ellie reflexively looked around for Joel. Then the anger and hurt returned.

To distract herself, Ellie grabbed her bow and looked around again. She was alone in the makeshift camp site. Her guitar was propped up against the young man's black backpack, facing the fire. Ellie grabbed the guitar and tipped it from side to side. It was dry.

Ellie strummed a few notes as the young man stepped out from behind the trees. "Morning," the boy said casually.

Ellie nodded her greeting and grabbed her backpack. She opened up the largest zipper, placed the body of the guitar inside, and zipped up the backpack around it. "Am I infected?" she asked the young man defiantly.

"I guess you're immune," the young man said calmly. He doused the fire and grabbed his own backpack. "Have a nice life."

Ellie raised her eyebrows. "Just like that?" she asked skeptically.

"Just like that," The young man replied. He pointed in the direction of Jackson. "You'll want to head that direction. You should reach your zone in a few hours."

Ellie folded her arms. "How do you know I came from there?"

"Two words. Laundered clothing."

Ellie accepted the answer without a word and grabbed her backpack. _I'll have to rank this as one of the weirdest nights of my life._

The young man slung his backpack around his shoulder.

Ellie turned around and looked at the young man. "Thank you," she said.

The young man turned to face her. "For what?"

Ellie grabbed her bow and placed it around her shoulder. "For fixing my guitar."

"Your welcome," the young man replied. He walked away.

Ellie waited until he was out of sight before she took a step in the direction of Jackson.

Ellie stopped short. _What am I going back to? A life? That life is a lie made from a lie. I don't belong there._ Ellie turned away and walked in the opposite direction. _I never did. Best of luck to you, Joel… Good riddance._

Ellie turned around and started walking, wiping a tear away from her eye.

 ** _…_**

The young man stopped in a small clearing and knelt to the ground, listening intently.

Ten feet to his left, the forest continued. Ahead of him were two large trees. He could hear the sound of birds and squirrels rustling around him.

The young man listened closer he heard the soft sliding movements of boots on the ground. _Not squirrels._ The young man stood. "You can come out. I'm alone."

Two men emerged from behind the trees ahead of him. Another man limped out from behind a tree a few feet to the right. He held a knife with a three-inch-long serrated blade. There were four finger-sized indents along the handle.

The leader of the group laughed as the man next to him slowly made his way around their young catch.

The young man started watching the flanker out of the corner of his eye. While the leader of the group took a step toward him, the young man slowly moved his foot around the ground, searching for a weapon.

There was large branch behind his left heel. The young man took a step back.

 ** _…_**

Ellie heard voices ahead of her and stopped. She had paid little attention to where she was headed. She crouched and crept toward a group of trees. The voices became easier to understand.

"How did you know we were here, kid?" one of the voices asked.

The clearing ahead of the trees became visible and Ellie heard the voice of the young man from the night before. "You can't limp through a forest and stay unnoticed," he answered. "How did you get that limp anyway?"

Ellie ducked down in surprise. _What the hell? Where does this guy keep coming from?_

The young man was surrounded by three men. One stood behind him, another in front of him. A man with a wounded leg stood off to the right, brandishing a knife. He stared intently at the young man.

Ellie sighed. _I still owe him one._ She set down her backpack and grabbed her bow as well as a few arrows.

 ** _…_**

The young man looked out of his peripheral vision at the third Bandit. _I see you behind me._ He looked at the man in front of him.

"Did you guys have something to do with the gunfight a few miles away?" he asked, stalling for time.

The leader of the group laughed. "Yeah, the other guys thought that the Wall wasn't that well-guarded. We tried to help," he said bitterly. He motioned to the man with the limp. "You see how that worked out. We're all that's left of our group. Not that it matters in the least to you."

The young man glanced at the man with the limp. "I'm sorry to hear that," he said sympathetically. "I'm just passing through. I don't want a fight."

The leader laughed again and took a step forward, placing himself within arm's reach. "Can you believe the balls on this kid," he asked his partners. "What are you, like, fifteen?"

The man with the limp chuckled and flourished his knife. "No. He must be a little older. He's big for a fifteen-year-old."

"Actually, I'm nineteen. I get a lot of exercise," the young man replied. He risked a glance behind him before looking at leader of the group. "Are you going to let me pass or not?"

"What's in the backpack, kid?"

The young man glanced behind him again. _A little closer._ "Some fruit, a book, a few maps, and a piece of broken mirror. You're welcome to whatever food you need."

The man with the knife spoke again. "What about that crossbow?"

"The crossbow stays," the young man replied.

There was a sharp snapping sound. An arrow shot through the air into the head of the Bandit holding the knife. The remaining two Bandits took a step back.

The leader looked around. "What the fu—"

The young man seized his moment and buried his fist in the leader's throat. As the Bandit fell forward, the young man brought up his knee and smashed the man hard in the face, killing him instantly.

The young man quickly bent down and grabbed the branch at his feet. He turned around, swinging at the flanking Bandit's face. The man took another small step back, dodging the branch by inches. He charged forward, driving the young man into a tree.

 ** _…_**

"Dammit!" Ellie exclaimed as she shifted her aim. "No fucking shot." She dropped her bow and charged forward as the young man received a hard punch to the face.

The Bandit turned and grabbed Ellie's arm as she tried to slash at him with her knife. He drew back a fist. Ellie braced herself for the hit as she struggled to free herself. The punch never came.

The young man grabbed the Bandit's arm and delivered a punch of his own. As the young man's fist made contact with the side of his head, the Bandit staggered backwards. Ellie took a step toward the Bandit. The young man retrieved the fallen branch and knocked the man to the ground before smashing in his skull.

Ellie took a step back as the Bandit finally lay still. "That…"

The young man finally turned to her, wiping blood from his nose. "That could have gone a lot better," he said.

Ellie snapped her knife closed and put in her back pocket. She turned to the man she had shot.

Ellie stood there for a moment. _It never gets easy… But that's that._

Ellie knelt and removed her arrow from the man's skull. She examined it for a moment before deciding it could be reused.

Ellie stood and turned to the young man. "But we're alive," she said, looking at the bodies around them before turning to the young man. "You're welcome, by the way."

The young man shook his head and grabbed the Bandit's fallen knife, placing it in his belt. "Yeah, thanks for the nosebleed," he replied. He knelt and began to search the pockets of the next Bandit as he spoke. "By the way, you didn't save me."

Ellie glared at him. "Excuse me?"

"You know, I never understood why people say, 'excuse me' as if they didn't hear what I said," the young man remarked. He moved to the final Bandit. "If you hadn't heard what I said, you wouldn't say, 'excuse me' like that."

"I'm sorry," Ellie said sarcastically with a roll of her eyes. She motioned around the clearing. "How the fuck were _you_ planning on living through this."

The young man stood and moved to the center of the clearing. "Well, for starters, I already had a plan."

Ellie placed her hands on her hips.

The young man walked toward the Bandits' leader. He touched the man lightly with his boot. "This guy would have gone first. Punch to the throat. Knee to the face," the young man said with a shrug. "Not much changed there."

Ellie stepped aside as the young man walked over to the flanker. "This guy would have died next," he continued. "He should have been unprepared for the branch. He was actually in position before a certain someone interrupted us."

"And the asshole with the knife?" Ellie said through gritted teeth.

"He had a limp," the young man said with another shrug. "I would have had plenty of time to come back around with either the branch or my crossbow."

Ellie's mouth dropped open as she replayed the scenario in her mind. She locked eyes with the young man. "Fuck you," she spat.

Ellie turned and walked back the direction she came.

"Where are you going?" the young man asked.

Ellie picked up her bow and placed it around her shoulder. "I don't know. Away from you."

"That's a good idea," the young man said. "We don't know who or what heard the fight. It was nice seeing you again."

The young man turned away.

Ellie grabbed her backpack. She stood there a moment before swinging around. "Can I come with you?"

The young man turned and gave her a look of surprise. There was a moment of silence and the only sound was the rustling of leaves in the wind and animals in the forest.

Ellie looked down of for a moment. _What the fuck am I doing?_

The young man opened his mouth as if to ask a question, then closed it. He began to walk away. "If you be quiet."


	21. Chapter 21

Joel ran through the forest, breathing heavily in exertion. _She left._ He passed a low hanging branch and received a small cut on his cheek. Joel barely noticed. _I should have known she'd leave. Why didn't I just open the damn door?_

Joel caught his foot on the root of a tree. He let out a cry of pain as his ankle was twisted and he tumbled painfully to the ground. "Dammit!"

Joel slowly rose to a sitting position, brushing the mud off his pants. His ankle ached in pain.

Joel took a deep breath. _This will slow me down._ He looked at his surroundings. There was nothing but forest. _How the hell am I going to find her in here?_

Joel punched a nearby tree in anger. Once again, he made himself take another deep breath. He rubbed his eyes. As he removed his hand he looked at the muddy ground.

Joel thought for a moment and intentionally shifted his heel to create a clear mark in the mud. Joel looked behind and saw similar marks in the mud as well.

Joel rose and spent a few minutes looking for any clues to Ellie's path. At last, he found it. _A shoe print._ Joel cleared the area around the print and examined it closely. _That size… it's most likely Ellie._

Joel spent the rest of the day closely examining the ground. His limp made it difficult to move quickly and the tracking took longer than he wanted, but he didn't stop. _I can't stop._

Joel reached a river a few minutes after darkness fell. He knelt in the sand and attempted to look for more tracks. He shook his head and looked above him. It was a cloudy night. _It's too dark. I'll have to wait until morning._

Joel angrily picked up a rock and threw it into the river. He forced himself to calm down. I have to rest while I can. As Joel closed his eyes he had three thoughts.

 _Let her be safe._

 _Please God, don't rain._

 _Let me find her._

 ** _…_**

Ellie walked alongside the young man even after darkness covered the forest. Neither had spoken in since their encounter with the Bandits. Ellie opened her mouth but once again had no idea what to say. The young man kept on walking.

Ellie paid little attention to what was around her. _Why am I here? Why did I choose to go with this guy? I don't even know his name. How can I trust him? And why the hell isn't he asking me this?_ Ellie sighed in frustration.

"Something wrong?" the young man asked, keeping his eyes forward.

Ellie shook her head. Another minute passed by. Ellie couldn't take the silence anymore. "Why do you trust me?"

The young man stopped for a moment and looked at her. "How do you know I trust you?"

"Would I be here if you didn't?"

"Good point," the young man said with a chuckle. He continued walking. "I trust you because you haven't tried to kill me, you haven't gotten me killed, and…"

"And?" Ellie pressed.

"I don't know," the young man admitted. "But… there's something about you going after the guitar."

"What did you mean by 'I haven't gotten you killed'?" Ellie asked defiantly as she ducked under a low hanging branch. "I still say I saved your life."

"No you didn't," the young man replied. "I'll admit that you're good with a bow. But you could use a little practice with your knife work."

"Screw you," Ellie said, shooting him a glare. "This knife has saved me more times than you can count."

"I can count pretty high," the young man argued.

Ellie stopped walking and raised an eyebrow.

The young man put up his arms in mock surrender. "Alright, backing off."

They walked in silence for another few minutes. Ellie looked around but didn't recognize any of the surroundings. _I've never been this way before._

"So, where are we headed?" Ellie finally asked.

"South."

Ellie looked forward. "South. Right," she grumbled, shaking her head in irritation. "Very specific. Why are we going south?"

"I'd rather not talk about it," the young man said. He gave no other explanation.

Ellie stopped in her tracks.

The young man stopped and turned toward her.

Ellie folded her arms. "So, you're letting me go with you, but you aren't going to tell me anything about yourself or where you're going."

"That's the long and short of it, yeah," the young man said. He started moving again, quickening his pace.

Ellie jogged to catch up with him. "I've got an idea," she said.

"Does this idea involve survival in the apocalypse," the young man asked. "Because I think I've got it covered."

"No," Ellie groaned. "But _your_ survival will be at risk if you don't knock off the smartass comments."

Ellie kicked a stick aside. _How did Joel put up with this?_ Ellie froze. She felt emotions creeping in and blinked them away. _Why do I even care what he thought of me?_

When Ellie looked up, she saw the young man staring at her. "What was your idea?" he asked.

Ellie took a deep breath and continued walking. "A question game."

"A question game," the young man repeated skeptically. "And, what exactly does this _game_ entail?"

"The truth," Ellie said. "We get to ask each other at least one question a night and we both have to answer honestly. No sarcasm or smartass answers allowed."

The young man thought for a moment, then nodded. "Okay. Well, it'll be midnight in a couple hours, so pick a question."

Ellie smiled slightly. _That was easier than I thought it would be. Now what?_

The young man turned and started walking again. "When you have a question, let me know," he called back.

Ellie thought for a moment. "What's your name?" she asked.

The young man turned and extended a hand.

Ellie now saw that he had small cut marks across his palm.

"Matthew," the young man said. "What's yours?"

Ellie hesitated for a moment before grasping his hand. "Ellie."


	22. Chapter 22

Ellie and Matthew made camp an hour and a half later.

They sat comfortably against a couple trees on opposite sides of a campfire.

Ellie strummed her guitar a few times before setting it aside and breaking another long silence. "I have another question."

Matthew chuckled. He finished cutting the nails on his left hand before placing the clippers in his backpack. "Of course you do. Well, I've already answered my question. So I'm not obligated to answer another one for…" He dramatically brought his hand around and looked at an imaginary watch on his wrist. "…a half hour. Give or take."

"Well, I'm going to ask it anyway because you brought it up," Ellie said flatly. She brought out her knife. "Why do you say that I need to 'improve' on my knife work?"

Matthew sighed and sat up straighter. "When you've used the knife in the past," he started, pointing at her knife. "Has it been with stealth in mind or were you fighting face to face?"

"Well, most of the time, they didn't know I was there until I was stabbing them," Ellie admitted. "Only an idiot would fight someone twice their size one on one. Even with the knife."

"I've done it before. You don't leave the fight unscathed," Matthew admitted. He grabbed a stick from the ground. "Now, with that kind of knife, stealth is obviously the best option. What happens when stealth isn't an option?"

Ellie stood and flicked out her knife. "I stab and slash as fast and as hard as I can until they stop moving."

Matthew raised an eyebrow. "And that's worked for you?"

"Most of the time," Ellie shrugged. "Sometimes I've had help."

Matthew poked at the fire with the stick. "From who?" he asked. "I'm sure I'm not the first person you've met."

Ellie looked him in the eye. "That's something _I_ would rather not talk about."

Matthew took the answer with a nod and stood, grabbing the knife from his belt. "Well, when someone does manage to grab you, you want to cut vertically down their arm," he stated. As Matthew spoke he traced his arm with the blade. "They'll bleed out quickly."

Ellie began flipping the knife in her hand. "I would prefer not to have some asshole grab me at all."

Matthew walked around the fire to a tree behind Ellie and began to brush it with his hand.

"Well, that's the real trick. I'd imagine that in the past you stabbed like this," Matthew said. He stabbed downward into the tree with his knife. Ellie began to copy his movements with her own knife. Matthew repositioned the knife and held it underhanded. He slashed at the tree. "Or you slash like this."

"I know all this," Ellie said impatiently. "What's the problem with the way I'm using my knife?"

Matthew put his knife back into his belt. "The problem is that both strikes can be blocked. Or worse, your arm can be grabbed. If that happens and you have no 'friends', you die."

Ellie glanced at her knife.

Matthew stood in front of her. "If you're face to face with your opponent," he said. "You want to hold the knife with the butt of the handle facing your body."

Ellie repositioned her knife and held up her arm vertically, the blade pointing ahead of her.

Matthew shook his head and walked behind her. "Not quite. Here…" Matthew grabbed Ellie's arm and started to adjust it.

Ellie jerked away quickly and took a step back.

Matthew backed away. "Sorry. I didn't mean…"

"It's alright," Ellie said crisply. "I just… I don't like to be touched. I have trust issues."

"Fair enough," Matthew said, stepping forward cautiously. "Hold the knife the way you were."

Ellie complied as Matthew stood next to her. He grabbed his knife again. "Now, tilt your arm so the butt of the handle is pointing toward your chest."

Ellie waited and watched as Matthew began to demonstrate. He turned his arm ninety degrees so that it was positioned horizontally in front of his chest. The knife was turned sideways in his hand.

Matthew looked at Ellie, who was now copying in him. He continued speaking. "Keeping your knife in that position will make it a lot harder for someone to grab your arm. Your stab will be a lot quicker and more controlled from this position. It also leaves your other arm free for blocking," he explained. He lowered his arm and stepped away. "Granted, if you're fighting someone bigger than you, it's likely you'll only slow them down, not stop the blow."

Ellie took the comment in stride and blocked an imaginary foe with her left arm, stabbing outward with her right and keeping her arm positioned horizontally.

"Well, if I slow them down, it gives me time to use my knife," Ellie countered, lowering her blade and looking at Matthew. "The worst fights are the ones that you don't walk away from."

Matthew turned away and his face was cast in shadow. "Well, I guess that's one way to look at it," he said quietly.

Ellie tipped her head in curiosity. "What's another way to look at it?" she asked.

Matthew took out his hair tie, letting his hair fall free. "I think the worst fights are the ones you win. But in the end, they just continue to follow you."

Ellie noted the sadness in his voice. When Matthew looked at her again, the sadness was gone. Ellie looked down. _I wish I could do that._

Matthew raised his knife again and walked over to the tree. "Anyway, from this position you can stab quickly and repeatedly."

Matthew stabbed the tree three times in succession.

The blows inflicted were significantly less quick and powerful than Ellie had expected. "Why does it look so awkward?" she asked.

Matthew chuckled and switched his knife to his left hand. Then he repeated the movements, stabbing the tree six times in rapid succession. The blade connected with the tree in three separate spots, creating large gouges in its surface.

Matthew stuffed the weapon back into his belt and walked past Ellie. "I'm left-handed," he replied. "Now you try."

Ellie sighed and walked up to the tree. She started slow. Over the next hour she continued to practice with the knife. Soon, she was able to hit all three targets on the tree in succession.

Ellie repeated the process again. _Not quite as fast as him, though. Whatever, he can't expect me to be perfect after only an hour._

Ellie glanced over and saw that Matthew was not paying any attention at all. He turned the page of the book he was reading and tipped the book back, illuminating it in the firelight.

Ellie walked over. "How'd I do?"

"You're getting faster," Matthew said without looking up. "I'm sure I don't have to tell you that you get quicker and stronger with practice."

Ellie sat down on the ground.

Matthew licked his finger and marked his page before closing the book. "We should probably get some rest," he said as he stood. "Don't follow me."

Matthew grabbed his backpack.

Ellie walked to her own backpack and sat down beside it. "Where are you going?" she asked.

Matthew doused the fire. "I don't think it's a good idea for people to sleep with me," he replied calmly.

Ellie glared at him. _Are you fucking kidding me with this guy?_ "Why the fuck would I _sleep_ with you?" she asked evenly, gripping her knife.

"Sorry, that's not what I meant," Matthew said quickly. He turned away as his face turned red. "It's just… It may not be safe for someone to sleep _near_ me. See you in the morning, Ellie."

Ellie relaxed and put her knife away. She grabbed her guitar and placed it on the ground next to her before using her backpack as a pillow. She leaned up as Matthew made his way through the trees. "Why do you trim your nails?" she called.

Matthew stopped and looked at his palm. He closed his hand into a fist before releasing it again. "My nightmares can get pretty rough," he said.

Ellie looked down. "Oh."

Matthew moved away without another word.


	23. Chapter 23

Ellie awoke from another nightmare. Releasing the grip on her knife, she stood and brushed herself off, looking at the early morning light.

Birds flew from tree to tree. Squirrels and rabbits ran past her.

Ellie looked around her and saw that Matthew was already awake, once again reading his book.

Matthew reached into his backpack and threw her an apple. "Eat up. I want to get moving soon."

Ellie took a bite from the red apple. She swallowed before speaking. "You in a hurry or something?"

"No," Matthew replied. "I just don't like to stick around in one place for too long."

Ellie took another bite. "Me neither."

 ** _…_**

Joel awoke early. He looked around, disappointed that the previous two nights hadn't been just another nightmare.

Joel winced in pain as he stood. _Damn ankle._ He looked at the ground. _At least it didn't rain._ He began to walk up and down the beach, searching for any tracks.

As he looked over the river, Joel saw a body floating in the water. _Oh no._ Joel dropped his backpack and took off into the water. He reached the body and turned it over. "Shit!"

Joel quickly pushed it away and swam back to the beach. He reached the sand and sat down for a moment. _That Runner hasn't been dead long._ _I should get moving._ As Joel rose, he noticed an imprint in the sand. _Wait a second._

Joel walked over to the print and knelt. _There was someone lying here_. He saw a familiar footprint. _Ellie._

Joel examined the sand around him closely until he saw more footprints. Two, he recognized as Ellie's. Joel stopped and examined two larger footprints located a few feet away from Ellie's. _Who the hell made these?_

Joel began to follow the tracks.

 ** _…_**

Ellie took another bite of her apple. It was midday and they had stopped next to a small stream to refill their water bottles and get a bite to eat.

Ellie swallowed and looked at the apple core in front of her _._

Matthew took a bite of his own and turned the page in his book. He hadn't said anything since earlier that morning.

"Okay, time for a question," Ellie said, throwing aside her apple core.

"Oh, joy," Matthew said without enthusiasm, looking up from his book. "We're still going south."

"I wasn't going to ask where we were going," Ellie said, ignoring the sarcasm. "I was going to ask where you came from."

Matthew brushed back his hair so it sat on his shoulders. "I lived in a small town in Montana. You know where that is?"

"Hmmmm," Ellie mocked. "North?"

Matthew rolled his eyes and closed his book. "Funny. Well, I lived there until I was about five years old. I don't remember much of that. Eventfully, my family was found by Canadian refugees. They came from the north."

Ellie noted a small shift in the young man's eyes.

"When I was seven, FEDRA got involved," Matthew continued. "They showed up and started to execute people they thought were infected. Bad things happened. I… I was separated from my family. Years later, I was enlisted into the military and got tossed around a lot of places."

Ellie nodded, tightening her pony-tail.

"What about you?" Matthew asked.

Ellie didn't answer for a moment. Suddenly, she felt unsure of how much she wanted to tell Matthew.

Ellie sighed. "I uh, I got tossed around a lot of placed too. As for my parents… I never knew them. My mom gave me to… well she couldn't keep me and I never had a father," she said. Ellie looked down for a moment as her eyes narrowed. "Not… really."

Matthew placed the book inside his backpack without a reply.

"I don't even know what they looked like," Ellie grumbled as she stood and grabbed her backpack. She turned away, wondering what made her say that.

Matthew didn't press the matter. He grabbed his backpack and stood as well. "My dad had dark skin, dark brown hair, and brown eyes. My mom had light skin, blond hair, and blue eyes. That's mainly what I remember now."

Ellie grabbed her bow. "How could you forget your parents?" she asked.

Matthew turned to her and she saw the same sadness from the night before. Ellie didn't say anything.

Matthew looked away. "You should save some questions for later," he said. "We need to get going."


	24. Chapter 24

Joel stopped when he saw the dead Bandits. He briefly examined the bodies. _This was a hell of a scuffle._ Then he noticed an arrow wound in the head of a Bandit. _Ellie was here._

Joel examined the other two bodies again. _No knife wounds. No more arrows. She didn't do this alone._

Joel soon found more tracks and started up the hill. His ankle had gone numb. He stopped for a moment _. How the hell do I know I'm even following her? If I make the wrong move, I'll never see her again._ Joel continued moving forward. _Faith._ _Just like Tommy said._ _Faith._

Joel followed the tracks for another three hours. He came to a small clearing and stepped on a large pile of sticks. He walked forward a few steps before stopping. He turned and knelt next to the pile. _This could have been a camp fire._

Joel looked around the area again and spotted a tree with gouges made by knives. He traced his fingers on the bark. _This one was Ellie's. This one isn't. She is defiantly with someone._

Joel found more tracks and moved on. He ducked under a low branch. _What if she's a hostage?_ Joel shook his head. _No. There were two different sets of knife marks on that tree. Two tracks. They're together. She may still be in danger, but she's not being held against her will._

 ** _…_**

Ellie and Matthew continued walking late into the night. They had said nothing since their break in the middle of the day.

Ellie had taken to examining her surroundings closely. It occupied her body. Her mind still held many questions. The pair heard a twig snap and turned. There was an animal walking through the trees twenty feet away.

Ellie moved a little closer to Matthew. "Is that a… deer?" she whispered.

The deer looked in their direction and took off.

Matthew gave a frustrated sigh. "No," he said. "That _was_ a deer. Remember that comment I made yesterday about being quiet?"

Matthew kept on walking.

Ellie glanced in the direction the deer ran.

Matthew stopped and looked back at her. "You aren't going to get that thing," he said simply. "It's too fast."

"I've hunted deer," Ellie commented as she started walking beside him again. "I've actually gotten one before. And stop making comments about me talking. There's no point in being silent in an empty forest. There's nothing interesting to look at."

"There's plenty to look at in this world," Matthew replied. "You just have to be willing to open your eyes to it."

Ellie laughed. "Exactly how long have you been waiting to pull that—"

Matthew put an arm front of Ellie, silencing her. There was a loud, broken screech followed by a series of clicking noises. It came from their right. Another, almost identical, sound joined it seconds later.

Ellie froze and lowered her voice. "Please tell me that wasn't a Clicker."

"Yup," Matthew said calmly. "That was a Clicker. Two of them by the sound of it. They're not that close, though. We should be fine if you shut up." He withdrew his arm continued walking.

Ellie just stared at him. _Is he crazy?_ "You aren't at all concerned about this?" she asked in a loud whisper as she moved after him.

Matthew turned and put a finger to his lips, then continued walking.

Ellie walked alongside him again and kept glancing around. She spoke again. "I don't know how you've survived this long if you're this stup—"

Matthew quickly reached out and grabbed Ellie's shoulder, spinning her into his left arm. He brought up his right arm as a Clicker bit down hard. Ellie quickly grabbed her knife and stabbed upward into the Clicker's neck, killing it instantly.

Matthew and Ellie remained frozen in place.

Ellie looked at Matthew's left arm. _Woah, Nellie! That was kinda… cool how he just… And he's still fucking touching me._ Ellie shoved him away roughly. "I told you I don't like to be touched."

Matthew ignored her and examined his right arm.

Ellie's eyes widened in shock as she realized he'd ben bitten.

There was another loud series of clicks. Matthew grabbed his crossbow and put an arrow through a second Clicker's head as it charged toward them.

The Clicker fell to the ground with a painful gurgle and a final series of clicks.

Ellie stared at Matthew's right arm, her fear rising. She had her knife raised in front of her.

"Don't flatter yourself," Matthew said. He attached his crossbow to the carabiner clip on his belt and lifted his sleeve. Bark covered the skin starting at his wrist and ending a few inches from his elbow. "Tree bark. Infected are only as dangerous as their teeth."

"Obviously you've never fought a Bloater," Ellie replied. She put away the knife and they began walking again.

Matthew grunted. "You're right. I've never fought a Bloater. But I don't fight Infected that often either," he retorted, pulling his sleeve down again. "I'm usually in quieter company."

Ellie stopped him with an angry tug. "Are you going to make a comment like that every time we're attacked? Because that shit's gonna get old!"

Matthew slowly pushed her arm away. "I'll work on it," he said. "It's just… I usually travel alone."

"Thank you," Ellie said, satisfied. They walked on. "When was the last time you traveled with someone anyway?"

Matthew didn't answer.


	25. Chapter 25

_"Stay away from me, Joel!" Ellie shouted. She stood just outside the sliding gate leading into Jackson._

 _Joel stood on the other side. His arm was reaching out for her. "You can't run from your new life, Ellie."_

 _Ellie took a step back. "It's your life, not mine!" she said. "You can't stop me! I'm leaving!"_

 _Joel stood still. He grabbed the door. "If you leave, you will be alone. I won't come after you."_

 _"I don't want you to come after me!" Ellie replied angrily. She looked behind her at the large, fungal infested forest._

 _Joel spoke again. "I lied. And you have to accept it. Accept the life I chose for you or be alone."_

 _Ellie shook her head and turned, running as fast as she could._

 _Dark shadows spread from Joel's hand, grasping at Ellie's heels. More shadows crept from over the Wall surrounding Jackson._

 _As Ellie ran through the fungal forest, Infected victims began to materialize from the trees and rocks. It was clear who they were. Riley. Sam. Henry. Tess. Marlene._

 _Ellie turned and saw that the shadows were still pursuing her. She ran faster as she turned forward, barreling straight into a large giraffe. The moment she touched it, it began to grow fungus all along its body._

 _Ellie fell backwards to the ground._

 _The giraffe let out a cry of pain as the Cordyceps Infection took over. Moments later, the giraffe toppled forward and laid dead at Ellie's feet, revealing David. He showed no signs of infection._

 _Ellie rose and reached for her knife to find the weapon gone. She had nothing left._

 _David backhanded her to the ground. Ellie turned and attempted to crawl away on all fours. David ran around her and kicked her hard in the side. He growled and picked her up, throwing her against a fungal covered tree._

 _Ellie spat blood out of her mouth and looked around. Riley and Sam walked toward her from both sides. Ellie looked around the trees behind them. The shadow of lies from Joel and Jackson swept through the trees and closed in as David loomed over her._

 _Ellie curled into a ball. "Please, stop!"_

 _David reached down and gently grasped her shoulder. The Infected wraiths disappeared and the shadows receded back into Joel and over the Wall surrounding Jackson._

Ellie awoke to see Matthew standing over her. The sun was just beginning to rise. His hand lightly grasped her shoulder.

Ellie let out a breath and laid back.

Matthew let his hand drop. "I thought my nightmares were bad," he commented quietly.

Ellie sat up. Her heart felt like it was going to explode from her chest. She opened her empty hand. "I… I usually have my knife in my hand."

Matthew reached into his backpack and threw her an apple. It landed at her feet next to the knife.

Matthew grabbed his own apple. "You were reaching for it. I… I didn't want you to hurt yourself."

Ellie just stared at the apple and knife at her feet.

Matthew took a bite. "You got hurt at some point," he observed.

Ellie looked up in surprise as she grabbed her knife, holding it tightly. "What?"

Matthew set down his apple and began to put his hair up into a ponytail. "You were mumbling. I didn't understand much. But whatever happened, you got hurt."

Ellie took a small bite of her apple. "Thanks for waking me up," she said, hoping to avoid an uncomfortable conversation. "It was a… it was a bad one."

"Believe me," Matthew said sympathetically. "I get it."

Ellie took another bite of the apple and grabbed her backpack.

Matthew offered his hand. "Ready to get moving?"

"Yeah," Ellie said. She took the hand.

 ** _…_**

Joel slowly moved through the forest. _Goddamn Clickers._

Joel had heard the sound of Clickers in the distance late the night before. He was forced to slow down. It angered Joel to be delayed, but he knew the loss of ground was safer than lack of caution.

Joel kept his hand on his knife. _I should be glad I haven't found any bodies. But I'm losing time. I just hope she's being careful._

 ** _…_**

"Don't step there! To late…" Matthew covered his face with a palm.

Ellie shook her leg. "Shit!"

Matthew slowly stepped around another pile. "Technically, that's deer shit."

Ellie began to examine the ground closely as she moved behind him. "Yeah, thanks for the clarification. Next time a see that deer, I'm totally shooting it in the face."

"Well it's going to be dark in a few hours," Matthew said as he looked at the sky. "We'd better get moving if we want to catch up to it."

Ellie looked at him. "Seriously?"

"Why not?" Matthew asked with a shrug. "I'm running out of apples and I don't like the taste of squirrels."

"Well then let's go," Ellie said. She grabbed out her bow from around her shoulder and bumped Matthew's crossbow as she moved past him. "I'm hungry!"

It took less than an hour to locate the deer. Matthew knelt beside Ellie and latched an arrow into his crossbow. _Turns out, the girl's not a bad tracker._

The deer was only twenty feet away, drinking out of a small stream of water. It was oblivious to the two hunters.

Ellie grabbed her bow and strung her last arrow. She aimed it at the deer's neck. At the last moment, she lowered her bow.

Matthew gave her a confused look. "Something wrong?" he asked quietly.

"You should shoot first," Ellie whispered.

Matthew just stared at her.

Ellie rolled her eyes. "You said it yourself. The crossbow is faster. Take a shot. Kill it or slow it down. Then I'll use my bow to finish it."

Matthew leveled his crossbow. "I think I can get used to having you around as a hunting partner, Ellie." He glanced over and saw a hint of a smile on Ellie's face. A moment later, it was gone.

"This would be a lot easier if I had a fucking gun," Ellie commented.

"People and their damn guns," Matthew grumbled. "I hate guns."

Matthew took his shot.

Seconds later, Ellie took her shot.

 ** _…_**

Joel crouched. _These Clickers are definitely dead._

Joel slowly turned one of the bodies to examine its neck. _That looks like Ellie's knife._ He moved on to the next body. _This isn't her arrow._ _Homemade. Whoever she's with has been out here a long time._

Joel examined the ground and looked at the setting sun. _South again. One of them is going somewhere specific. I need to find Ellie before they get there._

Joel moved on.

 ** _…_**

Matthew took his backpack off. "Hold this," he muttered to Ellie.

"Hold your own shit."

"Fine," Matthew replied, placing the backpack around his shoulder again. "Grab the deer. We should move away from the area. Something might have heard us. We only have about twenty minutes of light left."

Ellie glanced at the large deer. "On second thought," she said thoughtfully. "I think I'll hold your backpack for you."

Half an hour later, Matthew tossed the deer to the ground. They decided to camp further along the stream.

"I'll be back," Matthew said, grabbing his crossbow. "I'm going to make sure there's nothing around."

"Your knife is better than mine," Ellie said, kneeling next to the deer. "Do you mind?"

Matthew reached into his belt and handed Ellie the knife hilt-first. "Keep an ear out," he said.

When Matthew returned, Ellie was finished with the deer. Ellie stood and moved away from what was left of the now gutted animal.

Matthew started to build a fire. "You've done this before," he said, admiring her handiwork.

"I was stuck in the wilderness during the winter," Ellie said as she handed him his knife. She looked at the deer and her voice grew darker. "I learned how to survive quickly."  
Matthew lit the fire and blew on it to spread the flame. "I had to learn quickly too," he replied, choosing not to pursue details about her past.

Ellie adopted a lighter tone. "First time that I've gutted a deer, though."

Matthew shoved two large branches with splits on top into the ground.

Ellie took out her knife and fidgeted with it for a moment before placing it back into her pocket.

"I don't know what's worse about being alone in winter," Matthew said as he grabbed a long, thick branch and sharpened the edges with his knife. "The fact that it was so quiet, or the fact any sound meant either living through another day or dying a gruesome and painful death."

Matthew and Ellie worked together to shove the large, sharpened branch through the deer and placed its carcass over the fire. Matthew sat down next to Ellie and they watched in silence as the deer cooked.


	26. Chapter 26

Ellie licked her fingers. "That was a good dinner," she said with a smile.

They had just finished eating a meal that filled both their stomachs. Matthew and Ellie divided up what venison they could save and stashed it in their backpacks.

Matthew zipped up his backpack. "Well, anything's better than squirrel. Quick hunt too," he said. "Not bad, Ellie."

"Yeah," Ellie said as she stood and stretched. "I think we made a pretty good team. Thanks for letting me borrow the knife, by the way."

Matthew nodded. "I guess this is an okay change. As for your knife…" He reached into his backpack and grabbed a rectangular stone. "I found this in a tool store up in Montana."

Matthew tossed the stone to Ellie who turned it over in her hands.

"Why do you have a rock in your backpack?" Ellie asked.

Matthew grabbed his crossbow and laid it in his lap. "It's a whetstone. You submerge it in water for about ten minutes and then you can use it to sharpen your knife."

Ellie got up, moved to the water, and submerged the whetstone. "How do you know all this stuff?" she asked.

Matthew grabbed a rag from his backpack and started wiping down the crossbow. "I have my ways."

Ellie glanced over. "A rag now? How much do you have in that backpack anyway?"

Matthew thought for a moment before speaking. "Um… three arrows, a few maps, two books, a lighter, hairspray…"

Ellie raised an eyebrow.

Matthew shook his head. "Don't ask. The whetstone, tools for making arrows, some old ration cards, and a piece of a broken mirror."

Ellie looked back at the water. "Mirror… for seeing around corners? Why didn't I ever think of that?"

Matthew shrugged. "Well, don't take it personally. I learn more from accidents than anything else. What's in your backpack?"

Ellie hesitated for a moment.

Matthew sighed and put down his crossbow. "You still don't trust me, do you?"

Ellie took a hand out of the water and rubbed her tired eyes. "It's not you. I don't really trust anybody. Not anymore."

"Okay," Matthew said. He grabbed his crossbow again.

After a few seconds, Ellie sighed and motioned to her backpack. "Take a look. But the third zipper is off limits."

Matthew nodded and walked over to Ellie's backpack. He opened the first two zippers. "Jesus!" he exclaimed. "You have a lot of Firefly pendants in here. Were you one of them?"

Ellie shook her head. "No. You?"

Matthew zipped her backpack and turned away. "In a past life," he said quietly. "Can I ask why you have the pendants?"

Ellie thought for a moment, pressing down harder on the whetstone. "I don't know, exactly," she admitted. She started speaking quietly, almost to her herself. "I guess I never thought about it. It doesn't make since. They only remind me of bad memories and bad experiences. Fuck ups and failures."

Matthew sat down next to her. They remained silent for a few seconds. The only sound was the water moving gently past them.

"You know," Matthew said, lowering his voice. "There is one thing that bad memories, bad experiences, fuck ups, and failures have in common."

"Pain and misery?" Ellie suggested bitterly.

"Okay, maybe three things," Matthew said with a chuckle.

Ellie remained silent.

Matthew continued. "You can use memories, experiences, fuck ups, and failures to move on or to find a purpose."

Ellie felt anger well up inside her. She released the whetstone in frustration and walked away.

Matthew placed his hands on the whetstone and continued to submerge it.

Ellie sat down next to her backpack and stared into the fire. "You're wrong," she said. "My purpose was taken away from me and I was _forced_ to move on."

"Bullshit," Matthew said evenly.

Ellie looked at him in surprise.

Matthew looked back at her. "Nobody can take your purpose away from you except for _you_. The same goes for moving on. If you're alive, _you_ are in control."

"Whatever," Ellie said looking away.

Matthew released the whetstone and brought it over to Ellie. He offered her the stone, letting the subject drop. "Here."

Ellie took the whetstone and grabbed her knife. "Now what?" she asked.

Matthew traced the whetstone with is finger. "You trace the knife back and forth, both sides. Make sure you do it at different angles."

Ellie began to sharpen her knife. "How long?"

"I don't know," Matthew said. "Until you're tired, I guess."

 ** _…_**

Ellie started to sharpen her knife.

Matthew opened a book and began to read. After fifteen minutes, he shut the book and put it in his backpack. "I'm crashing for the night," he said.

Ellie nodded and turned her blade again.

Matthew clipped his crossbow to his belt. "By the way, those pendants aren't useless. Trust me."

Ellie gave him a confused look but said nothing. She continued to sharpen her knife as Matthew moved away. _And he's leaving again._ "Will I see you tomorrow?" Ellie asked without reason.

Matthew turned, seemingly confused by the question. "Unless we get eaten? Yeah. Goodnight, Ellie." He turned and walked through the trees.

Ellie smiled slightly. _He can be cute when he's not being annoying._ Her knife slipped. _Where the hell did that thought come from?_ Ellie shrugged the thought off and turned her knife again. "Goodnight, Matthew," she said to herself.


	27. Chapter 27

_"Let go of me, Joel!"_

 _"We're going back," Joel said, gripping Ellie's shoulder tightly. "You don't get a choice with this. This is for your own good."_

 _Ellie tried to pry Joel's hand from her shoulder. He tightened his grip and attempted to drag her through the sliding door and into Jackson County._

 _"No!" Ellie shouted._

 _The hand didn't budge._

 _Ellie took out her knife, flipping it open._

Ellie sat up quickly, letting out a small scream. She held her knife in front of her. It was still dark.

Ellie looked around franticly.

Matthew stood off to the side examining his arm.

Ellie looked at him then glanced at her knife. "Oh my God!" she said dropping the knife. "Did I…"

Matthew shook his head and moved closer as Ellie picked up her knife and put it away.

"No," Matthew said. Ellie could hear the shock in his voice. After few seconds, the young man smiled slightly. "Just the bark."

Matthew crouched and showed Ellie.

Ellie stared at the fresh cut in the wood.

"The whetstone worked," Matthew said casually.

Ellie stood and moved away from Matthew. "I'm sorry," she said.

Matthew shook his head. "It's fine, Ellie. I should have taken my own advice. I shouldn't have woken you."

"I'm glad you did," Ellie admitted, rubbing her eyes.

Matthew sat against a tree and grabbed a book from his backpack. "Sun will be up in a couple hours. You should try and get some more sleep."

Ellie nodded and laid back down. _What the hell was that, Ellie? I could have killed him._

Ellie's thoughts soon returned to her dream. _What would you have done with the knife, Ellie? Wound him?_ _Kill him? **Kill** Joel?_ Ellie turned over again. _I can't go back there… Not ever._

After a while, Ellie sat up and rubbed her eyes. The sun still hadn't risen.

Matthew glanced at her before marking his page and closing the book. "Can't sleep?"

"I never sleep after nightmares," Ellie replied.

"Me either," Matthew said as he reached into his backpack and took out a second book. "Catch."

Ellie caught the book with both hands. "Reading, huh?"

"It's better than thinking about nightmares all night," Matthew said, opening his book again.

Ellie held the book in her lap for a moment.

Matthew looked up again. "What, you don't read much?"

Ellie sighed. "I usually read comics."

"You should always have a book," Matthew said, turning to the next page of his own book. "They last longer."

Ellie turned over her book and read the title. _Mortgages for Dummies… Really?_ She looked at Matthew. "Are you trying to tell me something here?"

"I don't have any more books in the backpack," Matthew said with a chuckle. "I usually end up burning them."

Ellie opened the book and began to read. Soon, she felt herself relax. _This book has no point, but it's something._

Birds began to chirp around them as dawn approached.

Matthew closed his book.

Ellie glanced up from her own book. "Ready to go already?" she asked.

"It's almost light," Matthew replied, stuffing his book back into his backpack.

Ellie walked over and offered him the book.

Matthew shook his head. "Keep it."

Ellie put the book in her backpack and looked into the forest. She couldn't see beyond the army of trees ahead of her. "How long before we get where we're going?" she asked.

"It'll take a while," Matthew said. "Why? Having second thoughts about coming with?"

"No," Ellie said, noting the small amount of nervousness in his voice. "I just think I deserve to know where we're going."

Matthew thought for a moment and nodded. He reached into his backpack and took out a folded piece of paper. "Tell you what," he said offering Ellie a map. "Study these maps. And maybe if you stick around long enough, I'll give you some clues as to where we're headed."

"Why don't you just tell me?" Ellie asked, taking the map.

"This is more fun."

Ellie shook her head and put the map in her pocket. "Fun could get you fucking killed," she said. She punched Matthew on the arm. "Buddy."

Matthew looked above them at the trees. After a moment, he looked at Ellie. "Follow me."


	28. Chapter 28

Ellie watched as Matthew began to walk from tree to tree. "Okay, I give up," Ellie said with a sigh. "What are you doing?"

Matthew stopped next to a tree. "This will work," he said quietly. He looked at Ellie and waved her over. "Come here."

Ellie walked over and looked up the tree. "This doesn't seem like a good idea," she said, staring at the immense height of the tree.

It was taller than most of the other trees nearby.

Matthew set down his backpack and grabbed onto a low branch, hauling himself off the ground. "What?" he asked, grabbing onto the next branch. "You scared of heights?"

"No," Ellie said. "I'm scared of falling from heights."

Matthew grabbed on to another branch. "C'mon, it'll be worth it," he assured her. He secured his right hand on a nearby branch and extended the other to Ellie. "Trust me."

Ellie hesitated a moment, looking at the hand. "I better not regret this," she said, dropping her own backpack.

Ellie grabbed Matthew's outstretched hand.

They spent the next few minutes steadily ascending the tree. Ellie braced herself before grabbing another branch. "Are we… there yet?" she asked.

Matthew looked down. "Almost."

Ellie grabbed another branch and hauled herself up to his level. "That's what you said like… twelve branches ago."

"Why don't you go on ahead?" Matthew said with a laugh. "Stop when you get to the top."

Ellie chuckled. She took another step to the next branch. It snapped. Ellie quickly grabbed a second branch to steady herself. She stayed where she was for a moment, breathing hard.

"I'm good," Ellie said as Matthew looked down at her.

Ellie attempted to reach for another branch. It was just out of reach. Matthew grabbed the branch and held it down for her.

Ellie grasped it. "Thanks," she said.

Matthew cautiously supported Ellie with a hand on her back as she reached for another branch. Ellie climbed for another minute. She stopped and looked up. The top of the tree was just above her.

"I'm done climbing," Ellie said. "There's no way that the top of the tree will hold our weight."

Matthew appeared behind her a moment later. He braced himself on a few branches beside her. "Sounds good. Look straight ahead."

"Woah!" Ellie said. "You can see the whole forest from here!"

Matthew leaned forward and pointed into the distance. "That's the best part."

The sun began to rise, casting pink light across the forest. Ellie's red hair reflected brightly in the light. As the sun came into full view, Ellie smiled. Slowly but surely, the light rose above the horizon and into the sky.

Ellie sighed. "Well, it was nice while it lasted."

"Unless it rains or snows, it happens every day," Matthew said. He looked at Ellie. "You never watched sunrise?"

Ellie steeped down a branch. "Not really. We…" Ellie took a deep breath, attempting to forget old memories. " _I_ usually got moving the second I could see the light."

After a minute of silence, Matthew reached over and lightly touched her shoulder. "We should probably go."

Ellie nodded but didn't move. "I want to ask you something."

"As is tradition," Matthew said, amused. He let go of her shoulder.

"I'm serious," Ellie said.

Matthew fell silent and climbed down so that he was level with her.

Ellie took a deep breath and changed her position so she could see into his eyes. "We've been together three days. You've never asked me about my immunity. Why?"

Matthew sighed and took a spare lace from his boot. He gently grabbed Ellie's right arm. Ellie tensed for a moment but didn't feel the need to pull away.

Matthew took the ripped sleeve of her shirt between his fingers. "I don't know how or why you are the way you are," he said quietly. "But I can't imagine the emotional burden that comes with the gift or curse of immunity."

Ellie closed her eyes for a moment as images of Riley, Tess, and Sam flashed into her mind.

Matthew slowly pressed ripped cloth to her skin and wrapped the boot lace around it. "What gives me the right to force a conversation about it?" he asked gently. He tied the ends of the lace together.

Ellie watched as Matthew tightened the knot.

The sleeve stayed in place, concealing the bite.

"In time, you may choose to tell me about it," Matthew continued.

Ellie looked him in the eye.

Matthew held the contact for a few seconds before leaning back. "If not, the immunity doesn't have to exist."

Ellie looked at her sleeve, then at Matthew again. "You're right," she said. "We should get going."

Ellie flashed Matthew a small smile when he turned away to look at the sun.

Ellie started descending the tree first.

They we're only ten feet from the ground when Ellie heard a rustling.

There was a baby deer directly below them.

Ellie stared at its innocent beauty for a moment.

Ellie grabbed Matthew, who was perched a few branches above her.

Matthew froze and looked down at the deer as well. "Lunch," he muttered under his breath. He reached for his crossbow.

Ellie reached up and grabbed the crossbow, staying his hand.

Matthew released the crossbow.

A twig snapped on the forest floor. The deer looked to the right and took off. A moment later, a Runner burst through the trees. Three more Runners followed.

Ellie and Matthew heard a loud cry of pain. Moments later, they heard the sound of ripping flesh and the hungry, ragged breathing of Infected.

"I fucking hate those things," Ellie said vehemently under her breath.

Ellie and Matthew leapt to the ground at the same time. They heard the sounds of Clickers to the south. Ellie quickly grabbed her backpack and threw Matthew his own.

Ellie reached down and grabbed her bow. "Great," she said under her breath. She grabbed an arrow. "Now there's Clickers."

"It's not going to be easy to sneak around them. Not when they're this riled up," Matthew said, holding his crossbow. He glanced at Ellie. "You ready?"

Ellie nodded. _Just like old times._


	29. Chapter 29

Summer:

April

Joel slowly moved behind a Runner. He looked past it at a Clicker that stood against a tree. It was hunched over and breathing softly.

Joel quickly grabbed the Runner and stabbed downward into its head. The Clicker heard the Runner hit the ground and ran toward Joel.

Joel ran behind a nearby tree and froze. The Clicker ran past the tree and stopped directly in front of him, searching for any sound from its prey. Joel charged forward with a grunt and stabbed downward into the Clicker's neck.

As the Clicker fell to the ground, a third Runner charged Joel from behind. Joel turned and punched the Runner in the face, causing it to stagger back a step. Joel ran forward and plunged the knife through its head.

Joel pulled the knife out. _This is the tenth runner this week._ _These things are out in force._ He bent down and examined the bodies. _They must have been a traveling group. No military clothing. They're either Hunters or stragglers._

Joel stood and moved on. He traveled several hours until he came across a couple of dead Runners. Joel knelt and let out a sigh of relief. _It's not her. These are at least a day old._ He pulled a broken arrow out of the nearest Runner. _Homemade again._

 ** _…_**

Ellie held up her new arrow. It reflected in the firelight. The clouds overhead offered little light in the thick forest. "How's this one?" she asked.

Matthew put down his book, took the arrow, and examined it. "Pretty good," he said, handing her back the arrow. "You learn fast."

Ellie shrugged and placed the arrow in her backpack. "It's a good thing we know how to avoid fights," she said, throwing the arrow in the backpack. "The pendants can keep us going for a while. I just wish they didn't take so long to melt."

Matthew shrugged and threw a twig into the fire. "It's a good thing you learned how to be quieter," he mumbled under his breath.

Ellie glared at him.

Matthew laughed. "Sorry, couldn't resist. Anyway, I told you those pendants would be useful. Metal isn't too easy come by in the woods."

Ellie took out a state map of Colorado. She placed it on the ground near the fire and grabbed a few rocks to keep the map in place. Ellie traced her fingers on the map.

"What are you looking for?" Matthew asked, kneeling next to Ellie.

Ellie traced her finger on the map. "Well, ever since I figured out we're going to Texas," she said, pushing away thoughts of Joel. "I've been trying to figure out exactly what we're in for."

"Well, we can't exactly predict that by looking at the map," Matthew commented.

"Call me paranoid," Ellie replied.

"In this world, there's no such thing," Matthew said as he sat shoulder to shoulder with Ellie.

"I'd say we're about here," Ellie continued, pointing out a spot on the map. "If we move quick and don't have any delays we should reach this town three days from now."

Matthew didn't reply.

Ellie pointed at the map again. "We can stop there for the night. You know, maybe find some food and supplies and—"

"Ellie," Matthew interrupted, standing up. "You know how I feel about going into towns and cities. We never know what we're going to find."

"Fine," Ellie said, disappointed. She placed the map back into her backpack. "It was just a suggestion."

Matthew was silent for a moment. He sat down again. "I admit we need the supplies," he said hesitantly. "Let's do it."

"Look, I get it," Ellie said. "I don't like going into new places either. I hate dealing with Hunters and Infected as much as you do."

"It's not the Hunters or the Infected that I want to avoid," Matthew said quietly. "It's what they leave behind."

Ellie stared at the fire.

Matthew rose to his feet, grabbing his backpack. "See you at sunrise?" he asked.

"Always."


	30. Chapter 30

"There it is," Ellie said.

Ellie and Matthew stood perched in a tree overlooking the town Ellie had mentioned a week before. They were still three miles away. Their height gave them a small view of the town. The town was roughly a mile long and half a mile wide.

The most distinct building in the town was a large church. The houses and stores were packed close together. A crude, ten-foot stone wall surrounded the town.

"That wall won't keep many people out," Ellie commented.

"Not Hunters or the military anyway," Matthew agreed. "But it'll keep Infected at bay. At least it's somewhat secure."

"Do you think we'll find any people there?" Ellie asked as they climbed down from the tree.

"I don't know," Matthew said. "Part of me doesn't want to. Sun's going to set in a couple of hours. Let's get inside."

 ** _…_**

Matthew gazed at the stone wall up close. "At least it _looks_ effective," he said.

"It should be easy enough to climb," Ellie said. She waved Matthew over. "Here. Give me a boost."

Matthew took one last look at the trees behind him. He took a deep breath. _Here we go._

Matthew positioned himself against the stone wall and put his hands together. Ellie put one hand on his shoulder and put one foot in his hands. Matthew gave a grunt of exertion and boosted her up onto the wall. It was wide enough for Ellie to balance on.

"I'll find a way to get you over," Ellie said. She disappeared on the other side of the stone wall.

It wasn't long before Matthew heard a grunt of exertion. A piece of broken fence was pushed over the wall and landed at his feet. Matthew grabbed it and set it against the wall. He grabbed the bottom of the fence and pulled it outward, creating a makeshift bridge starting from the ground and ending a couple feet from the top of the wall.

Matthew took a step back and ran up the fence. He jumped from the middle and grabbed onto the top of the wall as the old rotting fence broke beneath him. He hauled himself up and over, landing safely on the other side.

Matthew looked around.

Ellie was nowhere in sight.

Matthew was about to call out for her when he found himself shoved against the wall by a Runner desperately trying to bite him. Matthew kept its teeth at bay with his bark covered arm.

Ellie appeared behind the Runner. She stabbed downward at its back with her knife. The Runner turned and charged Ellie. Matthew grabbed the Infected and threw it against the stone wall behind him.

Ellie stepped forward and stabbed the Runner again as Matthew turned it around, ramming it headfirst into the stone. Blood splattered on the wall as the Runner fell to the ground. Ellie grabbed Matthew's hand hauled him around the side of a nearby house.

They came to a stop, breathing hard.

"Fuck…" Ellie whispered. "This wasn't a good idea."

Matthew placed an arm against the building and peered around the corner. Four Runners had come to investigate the commotion.

Matthew leaned back into the cover of the house. "Too late now," he muttered.

They looked around the corner as more Infected staggered into view.

"There's a ton of them out there," Ellie said. "We won't be able to sneak past or get back over the wall without being seen."

Matthew grabbed his crossbow and readied an arrow. "That means we'll have to lure them away. Any ideas?"

Ellie thought for a moment before glancing down the street. "The church at the center of town has a bell tower," she said. "We could use that to lure them in. But I don't know how to barricade the door and fucking keep them there."

"We'll figure it out when we get there," Matthew said. "Let's move."

They started sneaking from building to building, making their way to the church. They stuck close to the alleys and side streets, avoiding as many Infected as they could. There were at least twenty Infected prowling the streets. They also saw two Bloaters and three Clickers.

When the church was in view, Matthew and Ellie took cover behind a low fence fifty feet away.

The setting sun reflected off the four mosaic glass windows on either side of the church. The outside walls of the church were made of brick. The double doors at the front of the building appeared to be the only way in. The bell tower was located up several flights of stairs in the back section of the large building.

Matthew looked at Ellie. "Cover me."

Ellie nodded and held her bow ready. As she scanned the nearby street, Matthew made his way to one of the church windows. He looked inside and immediately ducked down. There was a Bloater standing directly in front of the window.

When Matthew looked up again, he found it difficult to see the rest of the church. _Shit. Spores._

Matthew made his way back to Ellie. They ducked behind the fence again.

"This isn't going to work," Matthew said. "The church is filled with spores. We're going to have to come up with something else."

"Spores won't be a problem," Ellie promised.

Matthew gave her a confused look. "Immune?"

"Immune."

Matthew looked at the street. For the moment, the immediate area was clear. "Alright, well there's at least one Bloater in there already," he said, hoping to make Ellie reconsider. "And even if you get into the tower, have you thought about how you're going to get out?"

Ellie looked across the street at an abandoned house.

Matthew followed her gaze.

There was a garden hose stretched across the lawn. Most of it was wound around a rusted reel.

"I think I've got an idea," Ellie said. She took her guitar out of her backpack and set it aside. "Hand me your knife."


	31. Chapter 31

Ellie made her way across the street as Matthew covered her from the church. She knelt and unraveled the hose before cutting through it with Matthew's knife.

Ellie turned as a Clicker charged around the corner of the house. She dropped the hose as Matthew's arrow flew past and pierced the Clicker's chest. It staggered and swung its arms angrily.

Ellie ducked down, ran behind the Clicker, and stabbed upward with Matthew's knife. The Clicker fell to the ground, clicking loudly several times before it went still. Ellie yanked the knife out and gave Matthew a nod of thanks.

Matthew nodded back.

 ** _…_**

Matthew grabbed another arrow as Ellie coiled the hose around her shoulder and crossed the street. She hesitated for a moment, looking at something on the other side of the church. A second later, she continued making her way toward Matthew.

Matthew looked at the hose skeptically. "You realize those things aren't meant to tie, right?"

"It'll hold long enough," Ellie insisted. "There are some dumpsters on the other side of the church. Try to barricade the doors with them."

"Do the dumpsters have wheels?"

"I don't know," Ellie muttered. She handed Matthew his knife. "Figure it out. Watch out for the two Runners next to the dumpster too."

"Yes, ma'am."

They regrouped at the fence one last time.

Matthew took a deep breath and went over the plan out loud. "You go in, make your way to the tower. You ring the bell and the Infected come running into the building."

"Does repeating this help?" Ellie asked impatiently.

"Not really," Matthew said. He continued as Ellie rolled her eyes. "Once they're inside, I throw a dumpster in front of the doors and you climb out the window. Sound about right?"

"Pretty much," Ellie said, tapping the hose on her shoulder. "Are we going to do this or what?"

Matthew took one last look at the street and nodded.

 ** _…_**

Ellie opened the door to the church. There was a large aisle in front of her. On either side, there were three sets of long wooden benches for seating.

Ellie moved forward. She stepped on a loose floorboard and the wood creaked loudly. One of the Bloaters turned in her direction. Ellie quickly ducked behind one of the wooden benches and glanced at a long dead Infected that was emitting the spores. The Bloater didn't see her.

Ellie let out a breath of relief. _That was fucking close. Alright. C'mon, Ellie._ She peeked over the bench. A second Bloater stood in the opposite corner next to the entrance to the bell tower.

Ellie made her way down the benches. She put her hand on the last bench nearest to the stairs. Unlike the other benches, it wasn't completely bolted to the floor. As Ellie applied a small amount of weight, it tipped forward and groaned loudly.

 _Shit!_ Ellie crawled behind the previous bench as the two Bloaters lumbered forward to investigate.

 ** _…_**

Matthew made his way around the back of the church. He looked around the corner at the small parking lot. Two Runners stood next to the dumpster a few feet away from him.

Matthew grabbed a wooden plank from the ground. He charged around the corner and hit the nearest Runner in the shoulder, causing it to stumble to the side. Matthew turned and hit the second Runner in the knee before spinning and smashing the head of the first Runner.

The wooden plank shattered on impact.

Matthew turned again and kicked the surviving Runner hard in the face. With both Runners incapacitated, Matthew quickly knelt behind the dumpster and waited.

 ** _…_**

Ellie tensed as she felt the vibrations from Bloater's movement grew closer.

There was a commotion outside the church.

The Bloaters moved to the other side of the church to investigate.

Ellie wiped the sweat off her face and made her way to the bell tower. Ellie glanced up at the winding, rotted stairs above her. There were boxes under the stairs.

Ellie quietly opened one of the boxes and found small lightbulbs stored inside. Ellie grabbed one of boxes and started to make her way up the stairs.

 ** _…_**

Matthew glanced around the dumpster again. Three Clickers had come to investigate the area following his encounter with the two Runners. Matthew glanced at the bell tower. _C'mon, Ellie. C'mon._

 ** _…_**

Ellie made her way up the creaking stairs. _Five more steps to go._

A rotted step broke under Ellie's weight, causing her to fall forward. She landed hard. The box of light bulbs landed safely on the landing next to the bell.

Ellie cursed and stood. She heard a loud roar at the bottom of the stairs. Moments later, she heard the loud thumping of Bloaters.

Ellie moved to the top of the landing and started to stomp the rotted steps as hard has she could. Five steps crumbled and fell, landing on top of the Bloaters. They continued to stomp on the floor below her.

 ** _…_**

Matthew risked a glance over the dumpster.

A crashing sound from inside the church caused the Clickers to investigate further.

One of the Clickers started to move closer to the dumpster. Matthew readied his crossbow and gently set it on the ground before grabbing out his knife.

 ** _…_**

Ellie grabbed the rope attached to the bell and pulled as hard as she could. The loud clanging noise that followed startled Ellie as her ears rang. _Holy shit! That was louder than I thought it was going to be._ She pulled on the rope again.

 ** _…_**

Matthew waited.

The Clicker's foot came around the side of the dumpster.

The bell above them in the tower began to repeatedly ring. The Clicker emitted an angry set of clicks.

Matthew stood and plunged his knife through the Clicker's head. As the Clicker staggered to the ground, Matthew grabbed his crossbow off the ground and shot the second Clicker. He spotted the third Clicker slipping around the corner toward the church's entrance to investigate the church with a group of Runners from down the street.

 ** _…_**

Ellie pulled the rope and the bell rang again.

The sun was now low in the sky.

Ellie glanced down the stairs and saw that two Clickers and several Runners had joined the Bloaters. She grabbed a lightbulb as more Infected entered the church.

 ** _…_**

Matthew glanced over the dumpster again. He counted as Ellie continued to ring the bell.

Infected were now running toward the church from all directions.

 _It's working. Alright, Ellie, Twenty more rings. That should do it._ The bell sounded again with a loud clang.

Clang. _One._

Clang. _Two._

Clang. _Three._

Matthew loaded another arrow.

 ** _…_**

Ellie dropped another few light bulbs down the stairwell to encourage any Infected jamming the front doors to enter the church. "C'mon you motherfuckers!" she shouted. "I'm up here!"

Infected attempted to clamber into the small room containing the stairs, infuriated by the shattering light bulbs.

Ellie grabbed the rope again.

Clang. _Fifteen._

Clang. _Sixteen._

Clang. _Seventeen._

Ellie kicked the box of lightbulbs over the edge of the landing. The combined sound of the bell and the angry Infected was almost deafening.

 ** _…_**

Joel had spent the majority of the day dodging Infected. He could barely keep his legs under him.

Joel slowed down to examine the ground. _I don't have much time. It's going to be too dark soon._ He stopped moving. _What the hell is that?_

Joel listened very carefully. He could hear a quiet clanging carried by the wind. _A church bell?_ Joel stood. _South._ _That could be miles away. I'll have to wait until morning to take a look._

 ** _…_**

Matthew moved to the corner of the building as the last of the Infected disappeared through the double doors. He ran back to the dumpster.

Clang. _Eighteen._

Clang. _Nineteen._

Clang. _Twenty. There we go._ Matthew clipped his crossbow to his belt and grabbed the dumpster. It was completely full. _Glad this thing has wheels._

 ** _…_**

Ellie rang the bell one last time. She could barely hear anything.

The Infected continued to click, scream, and roar from below.

Ellie shattered the window behind her with her backpack and grabbed the hose from around her shoulder. She wrapped it around the railing next to the bell.

As the ringing in her ears finally stopped, Ellie put a knot in the hose around the railing before throwing the other end out the window. Ellie gave it a tug to make sure that the railing would hold and began to climb down.

 ** _…_**

Matthew stopped at the corner of the Church. There were two Runners outside the front doors.

Matthew shoved the dumpster around the corner into the nearest Runner, knocking it to the ground. He grabbed his crossbow and shot the second Runner before running around the dumpster and stomping on the skull of the first, now rising, Runner.

Matthew shoved the doors to the church closed and placed the dumpster against them. He quickly used his crossbow to smash in the four wheels of the dumpster, causing to it lay flat on the ground. Matthew tested the dumpster with a hard shove. The dumpster didn't budge.

 ** _…_**

Ellie looked down as she descended using her makeshift rope.

 _Halfway there. Move, Ellie._ She felt the hose loosen. _Oh, shit. The knot's coming undone._

Ellie climbed down faster. She was still a full story above the ground when the hose came flying out of the window above her. "Oh, fuck!"

Ellie fell the last ten feet. She landed hard on one foot as the rest of her body hit the ground half a second later.

Matthew came running around the corner and slid to a stop at her side

Ellie, who was still lying on her back, gazed at the darkening sky. "Ow," she said in place of a few other choice words.

Matthew offered his hand. "You alright?"

Ellie took the hand and rose to her feet. "Yeah," she said as she winced in pain. "I think I sprained my ankle, though. Did it work?"

"Like a charm," Matthew said as they passed the Infected he had killed. "Or close enough."


	32. Chapter 32

Matthew and Ellie stood outside the church. The streets were empty and silent. They could still hear the snarls and screams of the Infected trapped inside the church.

Matthew looked at Ellie. "What do you think?" he asked.

Ellie shrugged. "Could've been worse," she said, turning to the street. "We should look at the first few houses then find someplace to crash for the night."

"There's a library down the street that'll work," Matthew said. "We may have to clear it of Infected though."

After retrieving Ellie's guitar, they made their way to the small, single-story library. There were houses on either side that looked just as rundown as the building in front of them.

Ellie and Matthew split up, each going to a house.

 ** _…_**

Joel forced himself to walk until the moon was high in the sky. An hour later, he regretfully sat on the ground and extracted the picture of Sarah from his backpack. _Give me some help here, baby girl._

 ** _…_**

Matthew opened a cupboard and took out three cans of food.

Spotting nothing else, he closed the cupboard and moved on to the inoperative fridge. He grabbed out two unopened cans of pears and stuffed them into his bag.

Next, Matthew moved upstairs and walked into a bedroom. He took a moment to search for anything valuable. There was an old note on the desk. He picked it up and shined his flashlight on it to read.

 **To do list:**

 **1\. Work on the wall.**

 **2\. Grab more stones to work on the wall.**

 **3\. Work on the damn wall!**

 **What is the point of this shit?! It's not like the outbreak will reach us! It's been ages since the infection hit!**

 **4\. Work on the barricade by the main road. (Big fucking change!)**

 ** _…_**

Ellie walked into a room containing a large bed. Off to the side, there was a wooden dresser.

Ellie opened the dresser drawer and pulled out two thin needles and a large roll of thread. She searched the other drawers, and moved on.

Soon, Ellie walked down to the basement of the house. She moved to the far corner of the basement where there was a door leading into a small room.

Ellie opened the door and jumped. "Ew, that's nasty."

There was the corpse of a large man hunched over in a chair. Upon closer inspection, Ellie noticed that there was a hole in the side of his head. Beside the chair, there was a drill and a note.

Ellie grabbed the crumpled note and unfolded it.

It's my fault! It's all my fault! Me and Bob were just doing some work on the southern section of the wall. I saw a man outside the wall. Bob said we should see if he needed help. I said no. Bob went anyway.

When he came back, he was different… He bit me. I ran. Of all the things I should have done, I fucking ran!

Now all I can hear is screaming… So much screaming… Men. Woman. Children. So much screaming. It's all my fault. I could have warned them. I could have stopped this.

The town is overrun. Someone else got bit. Then another, and another. Day and night, all I can hear is screaming. I can't take it! I can't take it! I feel sick. I think I'm becoming one of them. I won't. I'm so sorry…

Forgive me…

Ellie shook her head. She threw the note aside and searched the body, finding nothing of value. Ellie opened one of the tool chests on the shelf next to the body and grabbed out three large rolls of duct tape and a few pairs of scissors.


	33. Chapter 33

Ellie exited the house and walked toward Matthew, who was pacing outside of the library. He turned to her as she crossed the street.

"Stop trying to hide the limp," Matthew advised. "Trust me, your hips and back will thank you later."

"Let's just clear the library," Ellie replied, setting her guitar by the door.

Matthew and Ellie entered the small library side-by-side. There was a lobby area with two restrooms to one side and a separate room for children's books off to the right. Ahead, was the main library itself.

Matthew knelt and closed his eyes.

Ellie kept watch with her bow.

Matthew stood and pointed to the right.

They slowly made their way through the small aisles between bookcases. They reached the aisle furthest from the door and heard the short, ragged breathing of Runners.

Ellie knelt and looked through a gap between books. She could see two pairs of legs. She rose and held up two fingers. Matthew nodded and pulled his knife out. Ellie turned and moved to the other end of the aisle near the second Runner.

Ellie grabbed her knife and looked at Matthew again. She held up three fingers and started to count down. Matthew and Ellie simultaneously swung around the corner and buried their knives in the heads of the Runners.

They withdrew their knives and froze again.

The library was silent.

Ellie let out a breath. "Are we done?"

"For now," Matthew said.

Ellie placed her knife in her pocket and retrieved her guitar as Matthew checked the bark on his arms for any weak spots.

"I'll see what I can find by the checkout desk," Ellie said.

"I'll check the children's area," Matthew replied.

 ** _…_**

Matthew opened the door and immediately had the urge to puke.

The room was small. A bookshelf containing old children books lined the walls of the room. The carpeted floor was filled with dried blood.

At his feet was an adult woman. There was a large pair of bloody scissors imbedded in her skull. Matthew looked past her. A long, thin rug was draped over a group of seven bodies. Only their small shoes remained visible. _Those are too small to be adults._

An empty revolver lay off to the side.

Matthew knelt and examined the gun, then glanced at the line of bodies. _Six bullets, seven bodies._ "Oh Christ."

A small pillow lay atop the seventh body.

 ** _…_**

Ellie closed the drawer and turned to open another one. It was empty.

Ellie picked up one of the books on the desk and turned it over. _Fantasy adventure. Huh._ She opened the book and read a few pages. _Nothing useful in it._

Ellie placed the book back on the desk.

"Anything?" Matthew asked, walking toward her.

"Nothing," Ellie said. She looked at the room Matthew had entered a minute before. "You were quick. No supplies in the other room?"

"I couldn't stay in there," Matthew said, lowering his gaze. "They… well, let's just say that some of the children weren't killed by Infected."

Ellie was silent for a moment. She noted the sadness in Matthew's eyes _. I've never seen him like this._

Ellie walked out from behind the desk and gently grabbed his arm. "I'll take care of it."

As Ellie moved to walk around Matthew, he turned and grabbed her forearm, bringing her to a stop.

Ellie made no attempt to remove his hand.

"It's pretty bad in there," Matthew said softly. "It's not something you need to see."

"I've seen worse," Ellie admitted.

Matthew let go of her arm. "I'm sorry."

Ellie nodded. "Me too."


	34. Chapter 34

Matthew walked outside and took a deep breath.

The only sound was that of the soft breeze and the crickets chirping in the long grass.

Matthew rubbed his eyes and looked at the moon. Tears began to well up in his eyes. He looked down and did his best to push away the image that he had seen in the library. _Get it together, Matthew._

Matthew made his way back to the library. He stopped when he saw the vending machine on the side of the building. He kicked the machine as hard as he could and it fell to the ground.

Matthew forced the machine open, finding it nearly empty. He grabbed as much of the food and drinks as he could as well as the coins inside.

 ** _…_**

Ellie put her book aside and pulled out her guitar. She had created a small fire using a garbage bin and the pages of an old encyclopedia.

The smoke filtered out of a few broken windows around the library.

Ellie started playing. She stopped for a moment when she reflexively started playing the song she'd started with Joel.

Ellie started to strum the strings slowly. She was a fourth of the way though her song when Matthew reentered the library. She stopped and set the guitar aside.

Matthew sat down across the fire and put the book he was holding aside. He kept his other hand clenched. "You don't have to stop," he said, giving her a small smile. "You're pretty good."

Ellie shook her head and put the guitar away.

"Are you…" Ellie's question trailed off. She sighed, deciding not to press him. "What are you holding?"

"Arrowheads," Matthew replied, opening his palm.

Ellie poked at the coins. "If you melt them down you can get at least three."

"Three's better than two."

Ellie gave him small smile. _There's the Matthew I know._

They spent the next few minutes going over the supplies they had gathered. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing. Afterward, they opened a couple bags of chips Matthew had gathered from the vending machine.

They finished eating ten minutes later and threw the bags into the fire.

Ellie watched as Matthew set aside his crossbow. "Where did you learn how to make a crossbow and arrows?" she asked.

Matthew smiled sheepishly and motioned around him.

"Books?" Ellie said with a laugh. "You're shitting me!"

"Nope," Matthew said. He picked up the book he had set aside for himself. "Not much to do when you're stuck in one place for a long time."

"So, what are you learning tonight?" Ellie asked.

Matthew flipped through the pages. "Um… how to make grilled ham. One of the other books I read showed me how to smoke meat. Haven't tried it before, though."

Ellie raised her eyebrows. "Recipe books?"

"I take what I can get," Matthew said with a laugh.

Ellie sat back and rested her head against the bookshelf behind her. "I miss my pun books."

Matthew pointed at the book next to Ellie. "What are _you_ going to learn tonight?"

"How to survive in the wilderness," Ellie replied, opening the book. "Probably just review. But you never know."

They remained silent for the next hour as they read through their books.

Matthew eventually yawned and placed his book in his backpack.

Ellie zipped up her own backpack and rose with him. "So, how's it going to work this time? We sleep on opposite sides of the library?"

Matthew shook his head and led them into the lobby area.

"The restrooms?" Ellie asked.

"My room," Matthew said, pointing to the men's restroom. He pointed to the women's restroom. "Your room."

Ellie nodded and walked toward the restroom. She opened the door and turned around. "See you—"

Matthew had already closed the door to his restroom.

Ellie heard the door lock a second later. She looked down. "Tomorrow…"


	35. Chapter 35

When Ellie awoke, she walked out of the restroom and looked outside. It was still dark out. She considered waking Matthew up but decided against it.

Ellie walked into the restroom and took out her guitar, strumming a few notes. Suddenly, someone started shouting.

"You killed them!"

Ellie heard another shout. She got up and ran out the door.

Matthew continued to shout. "It's your fault!"

Ellie banged on the restroom door. "Matthew?" she shouted as she pushed on the door. It was still locked. Ellie banged on the door again. "Matthew? Matthew, open the fucking door!"

Ellie launched herself at the door. It didn't budge.

The shouting stopped.

Ellie moved back to kick the door as it opened.

Matthew stood in front of her. His shirt was soaked with sweat and he was breathing heavily.

The two were silent for a moment.

Ellie reached for his arm.

Matthew pulled away.

Ellie withdrew her hand. "You scared the shit out of me!" she said, her voice filled with concern. "Are you okay?"

Matthew nodded and made an obvious attempt to slow his breathing. "Yeah… Just…"

"Nightmares," Ellie completed. "Do you need to talk—"

"No," Matthew said quickly. He turned away.

"Okay," Ellie said, taking a step back. "But you never know. It may help to—"

Matthew swung and faced her. "Do I push you for details every time that you have a nightmare?" he snapped.

"No," Ellie said, taking another step back. She glared at him. "No, you don't."

"Then back off!"

Ellie threw her hands in the air. "Well, fuck me for caring about you!" she said loudly She turned and walked out the door, grasping her guitar tightly.

 ** _…_**

Matthew realized his mistake too late. "Ellie, wait!"

She was gone.

Matthew walked back into the restroom and looked in the mirror. His heartrate had finally showed and his vision cleared.

 _What the fuck was that about, Matthew? She didn't deserve that._ Matthew shook his head and wiped his face with his sleeve. _After what I did, I deserve these nightmares. But Ellie shouldn't suffer for them._

Matthew looked at the mirror again. He only saw a boy that wasn't in control. Matthew smashed the mirror with his crossbow.

 ** _…_**

Ellie found an unlocked house with an overhang to watch the sunrise.

There was no sign of Infected and the town was silent.

After a few minutes, Ellie pulled the guitar into her lap. She began the song she had learned with Joel but got stuck when she reached notes that Joel had always played.

Ellie sighed. _It's not the same without Joel._ Ellie nearly dropped the guitar. She shook her head in frustration. _I don't miss him! I don't._

After a second, Ellie gently placed her guitar beside her. _I hope he's okay._

Ellie continued to watch the sun.

Matthew walked down the street a few minutes later and went through the front doors. Ellie heard Matthew put down both their backpacks at the top of the stairs.

Matthew leaned his head out the window. "Can I join you?"

Ellie nodded without turning to him. Matthew crawled through the window and sat down next to her. They were silent for a few minutes before they looked at each other.

They began to speak at the same time. Both of them stopped and let out a small laugh. They were silent for a few more seconds.

"Look, I'm sorry," Matthew finally said. "I overreacted."

"I know, Matthew," Ellie replied calmly. "It's just… you scared me."

Matthew took a deep breath. "I didn't mean to," he said slowly, placing his hands together. "There's something you should know. These nightmares… they aren't always my worst fears, they're memories. They're the worst memories that I have."

Matthew looked at the sun.

Ellie kept her eyes trained on him.

Matthew continued. "These memories have a lot of pain and suffering and… I'm not always the victim."

"Well, if we were victims, we wouldn't be alive," Ellie countered.

Matthew shook his head. "You don't understand. I've spent a long time trying to bury the person I was. The nightmares are a very violent reminder. And I'm afraid that…" Matthew's voice cracked.

Ellie's hand unconsciously moved a little closer to his, their fingertips touched.

Matthew took another deep breath. "I'm afraid that I'm going to hurt you. If you knew what I was… who I could be, you wouldn't trust me."

They remained silent for a time.

Matthew made no attempt to break the silence.

Ellie sighed. "Three years ago, I was hunting. It was the dead of winter. I met a man named David. He tried to get me to trust him. I never really trusted him, but he had something I needed," she explained as she started to pull on her fingers. "Anyway, we ended up taking on a large group of Infected together. After we won… I let my guard down. Just for a moment."

"What happened?" Matthew asked.

Ellie stared at her hands. "I was wrong. I knew he was bullshit. I did it anyway. Only for a moment," she said. Her voice now held anger. "In the end, I became his prisoner. At best, I was a toy. A _pet_. Something new for him to claim. At worst, I was an appetizer."

"Jesus…" Matthew said softly. He looked away.

Ellie looked at Matthew again. "My point is that people aren't always who they say they are. None of us are black and white," she said firmly.

Matthew looked at her again.

Ellie continued. "I've learned to trust my bullshit detectors. In the month that I've known you, it's always been silent. It still is."

 ** _…_**

For the briefest moment, Matthew thought of telling Ellie everything. He blinked and the moment was gone, replaced by fear.

"I don't ask that you tell me all about your demons," Ellie said softly. "Because I know you would never ask that of me. But I want you to know that you can trust me."

"I do trust you, Ellie," Matthew said with certainty. "And I promise that I won't keep you in the dark forever."

 ** _…_**

Ellie smiled slightly and they looked toward the rising sun in the distance. She unconsciously moved her hand to cover Matthew's.

Suddenly, they heard a new sound.

"Do you hear that?" Matthew asked.

Ellie stood and listened. "Yeah… let's check it out."

Matthew hauled himself onto the roof of the house and reached down to pull Ellie up.

They listened carefully.

Matthew heard it first. "It's getting closer."

"There," Ellie said, spotting something coming from the south. "A truck. It's slowing

down."

It was on the edge of town about half a mile away, slowly moving through a large gap in

the stone wall.

"Looks like they came here for a reason," Matthew said.

"The church bell," Ellie guessed. "Maybe they heard it."

They snuck out of the house and made their way to the edge of town. Ellie and Matthew stopped when they were close enough to see the newcomers and their vehicle in greater detail.

The truck was a large vehicle with a cab for two people. It had a truck bed big enough to hold ten soldiers. The space that wasn't being used for hauling soldiers was being used to haul supplies. There were six soldiers sitting in the bed of the truck. The other two remained in the cab.

The truck slowed to a stop and the soldiers got out. A man exited the passenger seat, holding a cigarette in one hand and an assault rifle in the other.

Upon exiting, the man handed the assault rifle to the driver. The other soldiers each held a pistol. Their uniforms were ripped and dirty, hinting that they hadn't been in a Quarantine Zone recently.

The man with the cigarette began barking orders. "Search the area and keep it tight, boys. We don't know who rang the church bell. If it's Hunters or Infected, shoot to kill."

Ellie and Matthew moved a little closer to two of the soldiers who were moving from building to building.

One man spoke in a lowered voice as Ellie and Matthew ducked behind a fence to listen in. "You think that we're going to find any of that squad that got lost a few months ago?"

"Doubt it," the other man grunted. "Command lost the damn list. All they could tell us about them was that the squad had a lot of young rooks in it."

"Are you fucking kidding me? They lost the fucking list? Jesus, the damn military is falling apart around us. I wish I was still in the zone. At least they had some order."

Matthew tapped Ellie on the shoulder and tilted his head the other direction. They retreated a few houses away. Ellie hid behind a trash bin and glanced around the corner to make sure nobody had seen them.

Ellie turned to Matthew. "What now?"

"They didn't have many weapons," Matthew said. "Only handguns and an assault rifle. Looks like the military still isn't well supplied outside the zones."

They heard voices nearby and retreated back another few houses.

Once she knew they were safe, Ellie looked at Matthew again. "Think we should steal the truck?" she asked.

Matthew grabbed a hair tie from his pocket. "No, too risky," he said calmly. "I think we should just ask politely."


	36. Chapter 36

"You sure this is going to work?" Ellie asked skeptically.

Matthew reached into his backpack and took out a couple of papers. He placed the papers in his back pocket. "I haven't done it before if that's what you're asking. But I don't see why not."

Ellie was about to offer a sarcastic reply when they heard another set of voices on the other side of the house.

Matthew took a deep breath and nodded. "Get their attention," he said. He retreated around the other side of the house.

Ellie pushed over a stack of wood and quickly hid behind a tree, purposefully keeping her right leg in view.

Two of the soldiers ran around the corner. One pointed his handgun at the tree. "I see you!" he shouted. "Step out now!"

Ellie stepped out from behind the tree, her hands raised. "Don't shoot!" she shouted in mock fear. "I'm not infected! I'm not a Hunter!"

"Shut up!" the other soldier shouted. He spoke into his walkie-talkie. "Captain, we got a live one over here."

Matthew came running around a house behind the soldiers. They immediately turned and pointed their weapons at him.

Matthew raised his hands. "Woah! Woah!" he exclaimed, keeping his hands clear of his crossbow. "Don't shoot! We're FEDRA! Don't shoot!"

The Captain arrived with the rest of the squad and walked up to Matthew. He had close-cut, graying hair. "Like we haven't heard that one before," he said gruffly. "Who are you really?"

"My name is Matthias. I've been in the military for five years," Matthew said, lowering his hands slightly and glancing at Ellie.

Ellie gave him a small nod.

Matthew continued. "Our squad got ambushed by a group of Hunters. They took everything. Killed everyone. We're all that's left."

The Captain took out another cigarette. "Prove it."

Matthew nodded, his hands still raised in the air.

Two of the men flanked Ellie.

Ellie remained still.

Matthew slowly reached around behind him.

All of the soldiers raised their weapons.

Matthew brought his hand back into view. "My papers are in my back pocket," he explained calmly. "I'm just going to reach back very slowly, okay?"

The Captain nodded.

Matthew slowly withdrew the papers. He showed them to the two men next to Ellie. They lowered their weapons. Matthew turned to the Captain and offered him the papers. The Captain grabbed the papers impatiently and examined them.

After a few seconds, the Captain nodded at his squad. They all lowered their weapons.

Ellie and Matthew let out audible breaths of relief.

The Captain handed the papers back to Matthew. "Shit's faded. Get an update next time you reach a zone."

"You got it," Matthew replied.

The Captain turned to Ellie. "What about _your_ papers?"

"I lost them," Ellie answered.

"Damn rookies," the Captain spat. He turned to Matthew. "What's her name?"

"I don't need someone else to answer for me," Ellie said. All eyes turned to her. She made no effort to conceal her annoyance. "My name is Riley."

Ellie saw Matthew raise his eyebrows. She ignored him.

The Captain took a step toward Ellie and raised a hand.

Matthew took a small step forward, ready for anything.

Ellie's hand drifted near the pocket containing her knife.

The Captain lowered his hand and took another puff of the cigarette before blowing smoke in Ellie's face. "You have a problem with authority," he growled.

"I lost my Goddamn papers," Ellie said, her face inches from his. "Deal with it."

The Captain grunted and turned toward Matthew. "Alright, tell me exactly what happened here."

Matthew laid it all out. Their fabricated battle with the Hunters that annihilated most of their squad, the run in with Infected in the forest, their arrival at the town, the three nights of supposed hell, and their attempt to clear the town and use the church to call for help.

The Captain lit another cigarette. "You two did all that on your own, did you?"

"Yes," Ellie groaned. "Can we get moving? This town is starting to bore me."

"Not yet," the Captain grunted. He stood and addressed the rest of the squad. "Alright, we found two of our own and a church filled with Infected. Suggestions?"

"We still have some spray paint in the truck," one soldier said. "Should we make a warning?"

"No, that would be a waste of our time," said another soldier. "We should just leave it."

"Not an option," the Captain said. "Command's not going to be happy if we just leave a whole bunch of Infected trapped when they could be dealt with."

"We burn it," Matthew said.

Ellie looked at him, surprised.

Matthew shook his head slightly.

Ellie gave him a look that said they would discuss it later.

"And how do you suggest we go about that?" the Captain asked.

"Do you have a rubber hose?" Ellie asked.

Everyone turned to her.

"If you have a rubber hose with you, we could push a car into the church and light it up," Ellie said. She snapped her fingers. "No more Infected."

 ** _…_**

Matthew and three other soldiers got to work on moving the dumpster away from the door.

Ellie found a suitable car nearby. She placed the hose into the gas tank and inhaled, spilling gas to the ground. She stood and motioned to the rest of the squad.

They began to push the car across the street. When the car rested just outside the door of the church, Matthew and Ellie joined the rest of the squad behind the car.

The Captain pointed toward the pair of soldiers leaning against the car. "You two, be ready to open those doors," he ordered. "The rest of us will provide cover fire while the two rooks push the car into the church."

Ellie and Matthew donned the gas masks provided by the soldiers and took position behind the car.

"I didn't think they'd believe us when we told them the spores weren't there earlier," Ellie whispered.

"I'm not complaining," Matthew replied, anxious to finish their task.

"Move," the Captain ordered.

Ellie and Matthew began to push the car toward the entrance of the church.

Ellie let out a grunt and glanced at Matthew. "Why are we doing this?" she asked. "We should just get going."

"Nobody deserves to live an Infected," Matthew said. "To be reduced to mindless beings with only one objective. Sustenance."

"You think these things are alive?" Ellie asked.

Matthew stopped for a moment and looked at her. "I don't know," he admitted. "But I wouldn't want to be left to rot away."

"What's the hold up?" demanded the Captain.

"Sorry, sir," Matthew said.

They stopped the car directly in front of the church doors.

Ellie and Matthew looked at the men on either side of the doors and nodded.

The two soldiers opened the doors. Ellie and Matthew pushed the car with a renewed effort. Suddenly, Infected began charging toward them. Gunfire rang out as the soldiers began to mow down the Infected. Ellie and Matthew pushed for another three seconds before retreating back outside.

A Bloater pushed its way toward them.

The Captain stood by the start of the fuel trail. "Everybody out!"

Everyone ran as far from the church as they could.

The Captain lit the fuel with his cigarette.

Matthew and Ellie vaulted over a fence and crouched, covering their heads.

The raging fire reached the fuel car's fuel tank. The resulting explosion blew out the windows of the church and sent flames everywhere. The rotted wood that wasn't destroyed in the blast soon caught on fire.

The Infected staggered around, flailing. One by one, they began to fall to the ground. In seconds, the Infected lay still.

Ellie let out a relieved sigh. "Can we get the fuck out of here now?"


	37. Chapter 37

Twenty minutes later, Ellie and Matthew stood waiting to get onto the truck.

The driver started the truck as six soldiers got in back. They placed a few newly filled gas cans on the floor between them.

Matthew leaned close to Ellie. "So, why Riley?" he asked quietly.

"Just the name I thought of, I guess," Ellie lied. "Why?"

"No reason," Matthew replied with a shrug.

The Captain walked up to Ellie and Matthew, lighting yet another cigarette. "We don't keep personal items, Riley."

Ellie hesitated. She realized he was talking about the guitar and glared at him. "That's nice."

"Do as I say, soldier!" the Captain ordered, raising his voice. "Leave it!"

"Not happening," Ellie snapped as she defiantly raised an eyebrow. "Besides, what exactly qualifies as a personal item? Because I'm pretty fucking sure cigarettes aren't on the list for standard military gear."

The Captain stepped in close, his face once again inches away from Ellie's. "You and I are going to have a real fucking problem," he growled.

"I'm not the one with a problem," Ellie countered.

The Captain held her gaze for a moment, then looked away. "I don't got time for this. Get in the damn truck."

Ellie relaxed.

Matthew's hand dropped away from his knife. "You must have been great fun to train," he said sarcastically.

"I had a friend who was worse," Ellie replied. "Though neither of us were subtle."

"Why does that not surprise me?" Matthew asked as he hopped into the truck.

Matthew reached down and grasped Ellie's hand, helping her in.

They sat down and Matthew let go.

Ellie was surprised to find that she didn't want to let go. She blushed and let the thought slide.

Matthew looked at the other six soldiers in the bed of the truck. "Where are we headed?"

"We got a base a couple hours southwest of here," one of the soldiers said.

The truck backfired multiple times as it started to move.

 ** _…_**

Joel reached the town moments later as smoke continued to rise from the church. He made his way into the town as quickly as he could. _Goddamnit Ellie, where are you?_

Joel ran into a house and took the stairs three at a time. From the second story, he saw a dark rectangle disappearing into the distance. _That's a truck._

Joel hesitated for a moment. There was no way to track Ellie in the town. He had to risk that she was somehow on the truck. Joel made his way out of the town as quickly as he could.

 ** _…_**

"Riley."

Ellie looked up to see Matthew offering her a water bottle.

"Jesus," Matthew exclaimed. "You forget your name or something?"

Ellie rolled her eyes and took a long drink. After traveling for over an hour, they had entered the state of New Mexico. To their right, there was a field of grassy farmland. A small forest emerged on the left about half a mile away.

"Ammo check," the Captain ordered from the front seat.

One by one, the soldiers began to announce how much ammo they had in each weapon. There wasn't much.

Once they were done, the Captain handed a small device to a soldier through the back window. "Routine CBI check," he said lazily.

Ellie leaned forward to see the device. She immediately sat back.

Matthew leaned forward.

The scanner was being passed from soldier to soldier to check for infection. Each soldier checked the results of the previous man.

"Clear," a soldier said.

"I don't suppose your immunity fools the scanner," Matthew said quietly.

"Clear," said another soldier.

Ellie shook her head and looked over the shoulder of the man ahead of her. When the truck turned, she subtly looked around and saw that the forest was now behind her and Matthew.

"Get ready to move," Ellie whispered.

Ellie slowly reached her knife as Matthew retrieved his own weapon.

"Clear," said the soldier next to Matthew. Matthew grabbed the scanner and threw it hard at the soldier in front of Ellie.

The man batted it aside. "What the fu—"

Ellie lunged forward and stabbed him in the neck with her knife.

Matthew stabbed the man beside him in the chest. He withdrew the knife and dove over the side of the truck with Ellie. The sudden stop caused Matthew to lose his footing and he landed hard on his chest.

"C'mon! C'mon! C'mon!" Ellie said frantically, hauling him to his feet. "Move! Move! Move! Move!"

Matthew got his feet under him and they ran as fast as they could. They reached the tree line as bullets riddled the ground around them. The truck pulled to a stop and the soldiers got out to pursue them on foot.

Ellie and Matthew stopped in the cover of the trees. Ellie grabbed the guitar out of her backpack and placed it behind nearby tree. She locked eyes with Matthew. They nodded simultaneously. Ellie went right and Matthew ran left.

Ellie grabbed her bow and turned, drawing an arrow. A soldier came into view. Ellie released the arrow, sending it through his chest. She immediately turned and ran deeper into the forest.

 ** _…_**

Matthew hid himself behind a nearby tree. He heard two soldiers slow down behind him.

Voices followed.

"He's here somewhere."

"Just shut up and find him."

Matthew crouched and moved behind a large, fallen tree. He peeked out of his cover and saw that the second soldier was turned the other direction. He ducked down as the first soldier walked directly past him.

Matthew slowly stepped over the tree. He wrapped his arm around the man's neck and stabbed his knife downward. The soldier emitted a small gasp of pain as Matthew brought the dying man gently to the ground.

 ** _…_**

Ellie dove over a fallen log to her right and laid completely still. She swore quietly under her breath as the soldiers stopped to look around.

"Find her!" she heard the Captain say.

Ellie could hear footsteps receding into the distance. Moments later, a soldier started walking toward the log she was hiding behind.

Ellie crouched as low as she could and grabbed her knife. She grabbed a fallen stick with her other hand and tossed it in the opposite direction.

The soldier turned away. Ellie jumped on the man's back and stabbed him multiple times with her knife. As Ellie and the dead soldier hit the ground. She quickly rolled to her knees and looked around.

The Captain ran around a tree and leveled his pistol. Ellie half crawled, half ran to the cover of a nearby tree. Bullets embedded themselves in the bark.

 ** _…_**

The solider in front of Matthew turned toward the gunshots, spotting the young man immediately.

Matthew charged the soldier, batting the man's pistol to the left as the gun went off.

Matthew slashed horizontally across the man's neck with his blade before glancing around for further threats as the soldier fell to the ground, gagging on his own blood.

 ** _…_**

Ellie ran behind another tree the Captain opened fire again.

After a few rounds pinged off the tree, Ellie heard the Captain start to reload his gun. She drew another arrow and swung around the tree.

The Captain was waiting for her.

Ellie was kicked hard in the chest before being thrown to the ground a few feet away. Her bow fell out of reach.

The Captain walked forward and threw away his pistol. "I'm going to enjoy this," he said, cracking his knuckles.

The Captain charged forward as Ellie rose to her feet with her knife in hand. The Captain swung his right fist. Due to a swift partial block with her left hand, Ellie took a dulled blow to the side of her head as she charged straight into the Captain, stabbing inward.

The knife went deep into the Captain's chest three times. Ellie quickly withdrew the knife and backed up, rubbing the side of her face. The Captain knelt to the ground, pressing a hand to his wound. After a moment, he let out his final breath and collapsed.

Ellie glanced at her knife arm. She was surprised to find that she was in the same defensive position that Matthew had taught her.

"Son of a bitch," Ellie grunted, flipping her knife. "It worked."

After looking around for further threats, Ellie retrieved her bow and grabbed the Captain's handgun. "Fucking asshole."

A twig snapped to her right as the driver of the truck came into view.

Ellie immediately raised the pistol in her hand and pulled the trigger. The gun was still empty. "Shit!"

The driver of the truck leveled his assault rifle as Ellie turned and ran. She kept running as the bullets ripped into the trees and ground around her. The firing finally stopped and she heard the driver swear as the gun clicked repeatedly.

Ellie jumped over a ledge of rocks and was suddenly grabbed and yanked into darkness. A hand clamped over her mouth.

Ellie attempted to swing her knife around.

"Ellie, relax! It's me!" her captor said in a fast whisper.

Ellie stopped struggling at the sound of Matthew's voice.

The driver ran past the cave without seeing them.

After twenty seconds, Ellie felt Matthew relax behind her. He let out a breath of relief. "Alright," he said quietly. "I think we're good."

Ellie relaxed as well. _Then why isn't he letting me go? Hmmmm… This should work._

"Ugh! Really?" Matthew exclaimed as he removed his hand.

Ellie turned and stuck her tongue out at him.

Matthew shook his head and wiped her saliva off on his pants.

Ellie simply grinned.

A soft, squawking sound came from the back of the small cave.

Ellie and Matthew turned quickly, searching for the source of the sound. A small, black bear cub crawled into the light of the cave's entrance.

Ellie knelt. "Aww," she said, putting her knife away. "It's so cute."

Matthew swore under his breath.

Ellie glanced at him. "What," she asked with a small smile. "You don't like cute, adorable, baby animals?"

"I'm more concerned about who lives with the cute, adorable, baby animal," Matthew replied, looking at the cave's entrance.

The cub let out a particularly loud, agitated squawk. It was followed by a loud roar outside the cave.

Ellie snapped her head around to look at the entrance. "What the hell was that?"

"That's most likely mom," Matthew said nervously. "Any ideas?"

"My gun's empty. And I doubt an arrow is gonna do anything."

They heard another roar much closer to the cave.

Ellie stepped forward, thinking quickly. _The book I was reading. Last night… Bears hate…_ "Fire!" she said loudly. "We need fire!"

Matthew grabbed a lighter out of his pocket. "This isn't going to do much—wait! Grab the hairspray out of my backpack," he said turning his backpack toward Ellie. "It's in the biggest zipper!"

Ellie quickly opened the backpack and started to rummage through it. She glanced over Matthew's shoulder and saw a large black bear running toward them.

Matthew saw it as well. "Hurry it up, Ellie! It's the cylinder container."

"I know what fucking hairspray looks like!"

The bear was now less than twenty feet away from them. Matthew hit the trigger on the lighter. "Ellie, now!"

Ellie found the container and grabbed it. "Oh man!" she said nervously. She held the canister front of Matthew. "Here!"

Matthew grabbed the canister and sprayed it into the flame as the bear came through the cave entrance. The bright fire lit up the cave.

"Woah!" Ellie exclaimed in reaction to the flames.

The bear let out a cry of pain as the fire burnt its face. It took a swipe at Matthew with its paw. Matthew moved forward with the flame. The bear let out another cry of pain before retreating.

Ellie and Matthew wasted no time in running from the cave and out of the small forest.


	38. Chapter 38

Ellie and Matthew stopped to catch their breath as the truck came into view.

After collecting her guitar and securing it in her backpack, Ellie grabbed the lighter and canister from Matthew before using the hairspray to create a small flame. Vhwoom.

As the pair continued to walk toward the truck, Ellie turned to her left and sprayed again. Vhwoom. "Sweeeet."

Matthew rolled his eyes as Ellie created a large flame for a third time. "Alright," he said with a small laugh. "Put it back."

"Why?" Ellie asked. Vhwoom.

"Because you're enjoying fire a little too much and it's scaring me. That's why."

Ellie sighed dramatically. "Fiiiine."

Matthew stopped so that Ellie could place the hairspray and lighter back into his backpack.

"So…" Ellie said casually as started walking beside Matthew. "Fire and hairspray. How did you know that would work?"

"I read about it," Matthew answered, offering no other explanation.

Ellie snorted. "I read about how bears hate fire in _my_ book last night. What book did _you_ read?"

Matthew remained silent, his face turning slightly red.

Ellie raised an eyebrow. "Okay, now I'm really curious. What happened?" she asked. She adopted her best baby talking voice. "Did you set your hair on fire?"

"No, I didn't set my hair on fire. I almost set my hair on fire…" Matthew stopped speaking.

"You _almost_ set your hair on fire?" Ellie asked. She took a few steeps closer, clasped her hands together, and looked up at him. "Oh, do tell."

Matthew turned and held up his index finger. "No laughing."

Ellie took a deep breath. "No laughing," she recited, holding up her right hand, attempting to stifle a giggle.

Matthew looked away and continued walking. "Look, it was a few years ago. I was hiding in this place from a large group of Hunters. It was too dark to start moving once they finally left, so I used whatever I could to get a fire going in this barrel I found. It wasn't working, so I just started throwing stuff in."

"Aaaaaaannnnnnnd?" Ellie pressed.

Matthew's face turned slightly red again. "When I threw a hairspray can in the barrel, the flame came up so quick that— hey! I said no laughing!"

"Sorry," Ellie said untruthfully. She clamped her mouth shut.

 ** _…_**

When they reached the truck, Matthew walked around to the driver's seat. "Alright," he said.

"Looks like there's still a few miles of gasoline left in this thing. We should lighten it up as much as possible. Maybe we can make those cans of gas last a couple days."

"I'll be back," Ellie said, moving toward the forest.

Matthew slowly hopped into the back of the truck and rummaged through the supplies. He waited until Ellie was out of sight before pulling aside his shirt, revealing a bullet hole in his left shoulder.

"Shit," Matthew said under his breath.

Ten minutes later, Matthew threw the last empty supply box out and leaned against the truck, breathing heavily. _A few more hours. I can wait._

Ellie walked toward the truck with her guitar in her backpack.

Matthew straightened up.

Ellie offered him a second pistol she had found.

"I'll stick with the crossbow," Matthew said, stepping away from the gun.

"More for me," Ellie replied. She ejected the clip from the second pistol before removing the bullet from the chamber. She threw away the empty weapon, placing the extra clip and bullet into her backpack.

Matthew saw that Ellie had two more clips in the back of her jeans. He stared at her with a guarded expression.

Ellie noticed. "What?" she asked, placing her hand on her hips. "Think I can't handle a gun?"

"No," Matthew said, opening the door to the driver's seat and tossing his backpack on the floor in the middle. "I'm uncomfortable with how well you _can_ handle guns. And I haven't even seen you shoot one yet."

Ellie opened her mouth to argue but chose to remain silent. She placed her guitar on the seat between them and tossed her backpack next to Matthew's before hopping in the passenger seat. "Let's get out of here."

Matthew nodded and turned the key. The engine stalled. Matthew tried again.

Ellie got out of the truck and opened the hood.

 ** _…_**

"I have no idea what I'm looking at," Ellie mumbled. She knelt and looked ahead of them. The car was about ten feet away from a decline in the road. Ellie rose and turned to Matthew as he joined her. Ellie pointed at the hill. "That should work."

"What should work?"

"Do you know how to pop a clutch?" Ellie asked, still looking at the hill.

"Not a clue," Matthew answered.

Ellie smiled mischievously. She turned around walked toward the driver's seat without a word.

Matthew followed. "Ellie? Ellie, what did that face mean? Something tells me I should be nervous about that face."

 ** _…_**

"Son of a—"

"Hey, stop complaining and put your back into it!" Ellie said loudly from the driver's seat.

"Yes… ma'am," Matthew said as he gave the truck another push using his right shoulder.

The truck edged closer to the hill.

"You know," Ellie said lazily. "It may go faster if you use your entire body."

 ** _…_**

The car reached the crest of the hill.

Ellie tightened her grip on the wheel. _Here we go._ _This had better work._

Matthew grunted and pushed one more time. The truck began to roll down the hill.

Ellie turned the key and the car stalled. "C'mon. C'mon. C'mon," she said as the car rapidly descended the hill. She turned the key again and the truck finally started. "Got it!"

Ellie slowed the truck down and waited for Matthew. He reached the door and took a deep breath before hauling himself into the passenger seat, moving a walkie-talkie aside. Ellie finally relaxed and leaned back as she turned the truck south.

They rode in silence for a short time. Soon, they left the forest behind and were driving through dry fields. Occasionally, farm houses would pass by in the distance.

Ellie noticed Matthew staring at her and tried to ignore it. She held the steering wheel with one and rested the other under her chin. Her eyes flicked toward Matthew a few times. He was staring at her.

"Why are you staring at me?" Ellie asked pointedly.

"Nothing, it's just…" Matthew's words trailed off. He shook his head, looking embarrassed. "It's just nice to see you relaxed."

"We're safe," Ellie said with a sigh. "But I'm not relaxed. I feel like I need to do laps or something."

"I know the feeling," Matthew said, turning forward. "If you'd like, I could drive and you could run alongside he truck."

"Nice try."

"Where'd you learn how to drive anyway?" Matthew asked.

"Military school," Ellie lied. The car backfired again. Ellie ignored it and drove in silence, lost in old memories.

Matthew poked Ellie in the side, causing her to jump.

"What the hell was that for?" Ellie asked irritably.

"Where did you go?" Matthew inquired.

"What do you mean where did I go? I was right here."

Matthew just raised an eyebrow.

Ellie shook her head. _I hate it when he does that._ "I was just… thinking about the last time I drove a truck."

They went over a large bump.

Ellie thought she saw Matthew wince.

"When was that?" Matthew asked.

"Three years ago. I was with…" Ellie put her hand down. "I was with a friend."

"A friend," Matthew said, slowly leaning back in his seat. "He the friend you mentioned in your sleep?"

Ellie's turned and glared at him. "Matthew," she warned.

"Sorry," Matthew said. "Too much."

Ellie looked at the road again.

Matthew reached over and grabbed the walkie-talkie.

"Think you can figure that out?" Ellie asked.

Matthew turned the device over in his hands. "Looks like it's got a pretty long range. I doubt it has more than a couple channels. Whatever, I've got nothing better to do."

 ** _…_**

Joel continued giving chase long after the truck had disappeared. It was over four hours before he found the remains of two soldiers on the road.

Joel noticed bullet casings on the ground. He tracked the battle into the woods and examined the first body he found.

Joel turned the body over with his foot. _Knife wound._ Joel saw another body a few feet away. _Please let her be alive._

Joel took a deep breath and slowly moved through the small forest, afraid of what he would find.

A few minutes later, Joel heard a scream. He grabbed his gun and ran forward.

As he drew closer, Joel heard another scream followed by a loud roar.

Joel saw a wounded soldier running from a large black bear. Joel slowed his footsteps as the soldier climbed part of a tree. A branch broke sending the man tumbling to the ground.

The soldier crawled on his hands and knees as the bear ran toward him.

Joel hesitated, tempted to leave the soldier who had put Ellie in danger to his gruesome fate.

The soldier screamed in fear.

Joel shook his head in frustration _He may know something._

The soldier screamed again as the bear charged out of the trees.

Joel pointed his gun in the air and fired off a round.

The bear stopped in its tracks and turned to see Joel standing ten feet away. It growled and took a cautious step toward him.

The soldier froze as well.

The bear took another small step toward Joel and pawed the air, letting out another growl.

Joel didn't move. He could now see that the bear's face had recently been burned.

The bear just stared at Joel.

Joel leveled his weapon.

A bear cub squawked in the distance. The bear in front of Joel looked toward the noise. It looked back at Joel, who stood his ground, continuing to keep the gun leveled.

The bear took one last look at Joel before letting out a low growl and turning away.

Joel stayed where he was for a few seconds before walking toward the soldier.

The soldier coughed and started to rise. "Tha… thanks," he said. "I thought I was dead."

"Not yet," Joel replied. He flipped his gun and clubbed the man on the head, knocking him out cold. "Not yet."

 ** _…_**

Ellie and Matthew drove until the sun began to set.

Luckily, the truck had no issue driving over the dirt covered ground. However, the gas meter indicated they would need to refuel soon.

Ellie glanced over as Matthew winced again.

They had just started to drive over the bumpy, dirt-covered ground.

As the road smoothed out, Ellie looked at Matthew. Beads of sweat lined his forehead. He looked as if he was struggling to control his breathing.

Ellie slowed the truck down. "Why are you breathing so heavily?" she asked.

"What?"

Ellie put on the brakes.

Matthew bounced back against the seat and let out a grunt of pain.

"How long?" Ellie demanded.

Matthew opened the door and turned his back to Ellie. She now noticed the bullet hole in his shoulder.

"Jesus, Matthew!" Ellie said angrily. "When were you planning on dealing with this? Why didn't you say anything? We could have stopped."

"We needed to get as far away as possible," Matthew replied, allowing some of the pain to creep into his voice. "I didn't want any military reinforcements or Infected to find us. I—"

Ellie got out of the truck and slammed the door, walking around to Matthew. "You're a fucking dumbass!" she shouted. "Do you know what could happen if that gets infected? You could lose your damn arm!"

Matthew didn't reply.

Ellie turned away angrily. "Just… stay in the truck."

"Don't go too far," Matthew called after her.

Ellie didn't answer him. She stomped toward the small barn about a hundred feet away from the truck. _He should have said something. He has no idea what could have happened._

Ellie saw the open door to the barn and pulled out her pistol. _I can't go through that again. We have no medicine. I can't repeat what I went through with Joel._

Ellie glanced behind her and saw Matthew in the driver's seat of the truck, getting ready to join her.

Ellie slowly crept toward the barn, her gun raised. _I **won't** go through that again._

The barn was small and had no second floor. One side of the wall was almost completely clear. Any useful supplies had long been scavenged. The left was lined with five horse stalls. Ellie moved through the small barn, looking into each stall.

After concluding that it was safe, Ellie finally lowered the gun. "This will work."


	39. Chapter 39

Matthew parked the truck just outside the barn.

The farmhouse near the barn looked like it had been burnt to the ground long ago.

Ellie had just finished making a small fire outside the barn.

Matthew got out and walked over to her.

Ellie glanced up and threw another encyclopedia page into the fire. "Sit," she ordered, pointing at the ground.

"Wow," Matthew said as he sat down. "You're really pissed at me."

"Yeah, well, you scared the shit out of me," Ellie replied, refusing to meet his gaze.

"Something tells me that this isn't the first time you've had to play doctor," Matthew said as Ellie walked behind him.

"The last time something like this happened, I had to scavenge for weeks, Matthew," Ellie said sharply. She reached into his backpack and grabbed the cleanest rag she could find. "It was the first time I'd truly been alone in this world. I didn't even know if I was doing things right. I don't like not feeling in control. Shirt off."

Matthew took of his jacket without much trouble. Ellie helped him lift his shirt off, careful to avoid disturbing the wound as best they could. Matthew tossed aside the shirt.

Ellie examined the wound. "Looks like it went in one side and out the other," she said with some relief. "I'll have to clean the wound before I wrap it."

"I didn't find any medication in the truck," Matthew said, attempting to keep his arm still. "But there's a flask of alcohol in the glove compartment."

Ellie retrieved the flask. "And the Captain bitched about my guitar," she grumbled under her breath.

Ellie sat down behind Matthew and opened the flask. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"The worst part about doing this before was the silence," Ellie said. She opened her eyes and placed long, cut sleeve from a shredded FEDRA uniform aside for wrapping Matthew's shoulder. "Talk about something."

"Any suggestions?"

"I don't know," Ellie said, slightly annoyed. "Anything. Guns. Why don't you like guns?"

"Um… well, I did just get shot, like, five hours ago."

Ellie's angry silence needed no interpretation.

Matthew sighed, preparing himself for the pain. "Well, after I was separated from my family, I was bounced around a couple different preparatory schools until I was fourteen. After that, recruiter lied about my age and I was thrown into the military," he said simply before shrugging with his good shoulder. "I was big enough that I could take somewhat of a punch and they just handed me a weapon."

"Were you any good?" Ellie asked.

Matthew slowly nodded. "I learned quickly. I wasn't a bad shot either," he added. Behind him, Ellie poured some alcohol onto the rag. Matthew continued. "After a couple years of training, they started sending me out with the other teams. I ended up in Wisconsin. The Milwaukee Quarantine Zone."

Matthew winced and grunted in pain as Ellie poured some alcohol into the wound to disinfect it.

"Doesn't look infected," Ellie said behind him. "I'll still have to clean around the wound, though. Sorry, keep going."

"When I was sixteen, we were raiding an apartment complex, making sure nobody was infected. We found someone. It was this old man. They dragged him out into the street and threw him to the ground," Matthew said bitterly, shaking his head. "He wasn't putting up a fight. When the squad leader told me to put him down, I hesitated. He shot the old man right there and then. There were children. They all saw it."

Matthew winced as Ellie began to probe around the wound with the alcohol covered rag. She tried her best to be gentle but couldn't control the pain she was causing.

Matthew closed his eyes for a moment. "We found six more cases, all adults. Some of them had been going outside the zone to find food."

Ellie gently continued moving the rag around the wound. "They were willingly leaving the zone?"

"Ration supplies were supposedly low," Matthew spat. "Anyway, the squad leader didn't even wait for me to get the kids out of sight before he executed the infected civilians one-by-one."

"What did you do?" Ellie asked. She ceased the treatment for a moment.

"I voiced my opinion and got my ass kicked," Matthew said flatly. "I left the military shortly after that. But I slit the tires on my squad leader's truck first."

Matthew heard Ellie chuckle.

"That spark something?" Matthew asked.

"I had friend who would have done something like that," Ellie said guardedly. "She enjoyed pissing people off sometimes."

"Interesting friend you had," Matthew commented.

Ellie continued to clean the wound, being as gentle as she could. "When we first met, you mentioned the Fireflies. When did you get involved with them?"

Matthew didn't answer for a moment. He'd always been reluctant to revisit that part of his past. He forced himself to speak. "After I left the Military, I made my way to Michigan. I'd heard about a resistance that was fighting for the people there," he explained. "When I arrived, I got into a fight with a group of assholes harassing this older couple who were giving out their ration cards to people in need."

"Another fight?" Ellie asked. "Did you win?"

"Not exactly. I was unconscious for a few hours."

Ellie positioned herself in front of Matthew to further clean the wound. "Did you win _any_ fights when you were younger?" she teased.

"Well, I learned how to fight more efficiently after losing a few too many times," Matthew replied. He winced as Ellie cleaned close to the wound again. "After I came to, this couple told me about the Fireflies and where I could find them. They were desperate. It wasn't long before I had my own pendent."

Ellie took a moment to add a little more alcohol to the rag.

"I spent the next year guarding one of their base of operations," Matthew continued. His voice turned bitter. "A library. A year after, that I was handed and weapon and told that I was going to take part in an operation. I was excited. I was finally going to see some action."

Ellie grabbed the alcohol again and held it in front of him. Matthew nodded and she poured more alcohol into the wound. Matthew cursed under his breath as he felt the alcohol burn through the wound.

Ellie grabbed the cloth again and got ready to clean around the wound one last time. "Go on," she urged.

"I was so damn exited," Matthew said, clenching his fist. He shook his head. "What kind of person grows up in a world like this, doing… seeing the shit I've seen, _still_ gets excited about the possibly of violence?"

"Someone who's looking for something to fight for," Ellie answered carefully. She rested her hand on his good arm. "A cause."

"Yeah," Matthew grunted. "Well, it wasn't as just of a cause as I thought it was."

"Matthew," Ellie said gently. "If you don't want to talk about it…"

"No," Matthew said quickly. "No, it may… it may help to talk about it."

Ellie smiled slightly.

Matthew smiled back before glancing at the darkening sky.

A storm began to gather overhead.

 _"Matthias, wake up."_

 _I opened my eyes to see Mack standing over me. My friend and fellow Firefly extended his hand and hauled me to my feet. The early morning sun shined above us. We were in an alley across the street from our target: A large ration depot._

 _There were tall, broken-down buildings surrounding us. Some of the walls were stained with blood while others were falling apart entirely. The streets were a mirror image. Death was nothing new for this area. The same went for everywhere else in the Lansing Quarantine Zone._

 _Mack handed me my weapon. "You have to stop falling asleep," he said with a grin. "Or you're going to miss all the fun."_

 _"I wouldn't miss this for anything," I said excitedly, feeling powerful in my body armor. I looked at my Firefly pendant and the patch on my arm. "It's great to actually be doing something useful. I wasn't asleep by the way. I was resting my eyes."_

 _"Whatever, kid," Mack said with a small grin. He was dressed similarly._

 _Mack had trained me from day one. He had taught me to use knives and truly walk and talk like I was in the military and the Fireflies. The older man only held a middle position in the Firefly ranks. But he wanted to do what was right. I guess some of it had rubbed off on me._

 _Mack's short-range walkie-talkie went off. "We're all set," said a voice. "We attack in two minutes. Ration lines don't open for a half hour. We finish this quick and everyone in the district gets a bonus."_

 _I grinned and glanced around the corner before turning to Mack. "Three guards, maybe two more inside. Shouldn't be a problem."_

 _"Stay focused, kid."_

 _I looked around the corner again. I had to admit, I was as nervous as I was excited. For the first time, I would be able to do something to help the world, rather than fall victim to it or worse, bring others to harm in its name._

 _"Look for the light," I told myself. "Believe in the Fireflies."_

 _I could see the alley closest to the ration line. The second two-man team was in position. The team leader and his second in command were further down the street. I sighed and sat back down._

 _Mack stocked his weapon. "Matthias, you know the drill. We take out the three guards, team two takes out any reinforcements exiting the building, and team leader is our backup. Now, take it easy."_

 _I took a deep breath and forced myself to sit still. "I'm good."_

 _Mack's walkie-talkie sounded off again. "Thirty seconds."_

 _I glanced around the corner again. The guards were completely unaware of our presence. I grabbed my pistol and leveled it. A new sound drew my gaze further down the street._

 _A young woman dressed in white was walking toward the ration line. In her arms, she held an infant wrapped in a bundle of white blankets. She tried to console the bundle as it cried._

 _I grabbed Mack's walkie-talkie, speaking quickly. "We have to wait. There are civilians in the area."_

 _Mack glanced around the corner as well and cursed._

 _"Shut it, Matthias!" the team leader answered angrily. "Don't miss and they'll be fine. Ten seconds. Get ready."_

 _"Sir, we need to abort!" I said again, my frustration growing. I holstered my weapon and held the walkie-talkie closer to my mouth. "There is a child in the crossfire! We can do this another day!"_

 _"Matthias," Mack said sternly. "What the hell are you doing?"_

 _"Negative!" answered the team leader. "We move now! Do your job or I will!"_

 _I threw down the walkie-talkie and ran out of the alley before Mack could stop me._

 _I started making my way across the empty street toward the woman and her child. "Get down!"_

 _I heard a gunshot. The guard nearest to me went down._

 _I continued running toward the woman and her child._

 _I heard another gunshot. The second guard went down. Suddenly, a military vehicle drove around the corner down the street and three soldiers jumped out._

 _I took cover as the soldiers opened fire. When I looked at the other end of the street, I saw my team leader and his second in command running toward me, shooting at the soldiers._

 _The alley team moved in as two more soldiers ran out of the ration depot. Moments later, all I could hear was gunfire. Someone threw a smoke bomb. I staggered around in the smoke, barely able to see. Another man collided with me and I tumbled to the ground._

 _I rose to my feet and started moving again. My ears were ringing and I was coughing. My eyes burnt. More gunfire. I still couldn't see a thing. Something large hit me and I went down again._

 _I pushed the heavy weight off of me._

 _It was Mack. His eyes were glassy. Blood ran from his mouth._

 _I heard a cry of rage. A soldier materialized from the smoke, aiming his gun at me. I grabbed my own gun and fired once, twice, three times. I didn't stop, even after the clip was empty._

 _There was a loud explosion as the military vehicle went up in flames. Everything went quiet. The smoke began to clear. I glanced to my right and saw that my entire team was dead. Shell casings littered the ground. The military soldiers were also unmoving, killed by bullets, fire, and shrapnel._

 _I sat up and looked toward the ration line._

 _The woman in white lay still on the sidewalk, her blood seeping toward me through the cracks in the ground._

 _I crawled forward, turned her over, and found that her chest was covered in blood. Her hand was stretched outward toward the white bundle. It rested on the ground a foot away._

 _A large lump formed in my throat. I dropped my gun to the ground. I couldn't breathe. I slowly reached for the bundle. When I turned it, I found a large bullet hole surrounded by crimson._

 _My hand began to shake. I felt sick. I let out a scream of pain and grief. Acid crept into my throat. I began to vomit all over the pavement._

 _When I was finally able to stop, I found that I didn't want to move ever again. Eventually, I forced myself to sit up. I placed my head in my arms and openly wept._

 _Curious occupants emerged from down the street and nearby buildings._

 _Moments later, they were all running toward the ration building._

 _They ignored me._

 _They ignored the woman in white._

 _They ignored the white bundle._

 _"I won't ignore them," I thought. "I can't."_

 _I gathered my strength and stood. I grabbed the woman's legs and moved them as gently as I could, adjusting them until she was lying perfectly straight on the sidewalk._

 _I gathered the bundle in my arms before gently placing it on the woman's chest. I crossed the woman's arms over the white bundle until they formed a perfect 'X'._

 _The woman in white held her child one last time._

 _I don't know how long I was crouched on the street. People ran past me. They didn't notice me. I didn't notice them. I was numb. All sound had morphed into a soft drone. I heard nothing._

 _All I could see was a woman and her child._

 _A hand pressed against my shoulder. I reacted instinctively and lashed out with my fist. The blow connected with a man's face. I grabbed my knife._

 _"Enough!"_

 _The world came into focus. I was staring to the face of a fellow Firefly. He had assigned our group to the raid._

 _The man leaned forward, his face inches from my own. "Stand down."_

 _I dropped my knife, took a step back, and looked at the woman on the ground._

 _The man's features softened slightly. "You did good, kid," he said calmly. "This was a good victory for the cause."_

 _"Victory?" I asked, clenching my fist. I let my anger take control. "Victory? Cause?"_

 _I stood quickly, causing the older Firefly to take a cautious step back._

 _I pointed down at the bodies next to me. "A woman and her child died because we wouldn't call off the fucking raid!" I shouted. The man took another step back as I spat at his feet. I tore off my Firefly pendant and patch, shoving them into the man's chest. "Look for the light in that."_

 _I shoved passed the man and began to walk and I didn't stop until exhaustion caused me to collapse._

 ** _…_**

Ellie placed the bloody rag into the fire and stood. She didn't know what to say. _Holy shit… I thought I'd seen hard things._

Matthew didn't move or say anything.

Ellie slowly placed her hand on Matthew's good shoulder and squeezed gently.

Matthew reached up and placed his hand over hers.

"I'm sorry," Ellie whispered.

"It's not your fault," Matthew replied.

Ellie withdrew her hand. They remained silent while Ellie cleaned up their supplies and proceeded to help Matthew wrap his shoulder.

After a minute, Matthew spoke. "You're unusually quiet."

Ellie shook her head and zipped up their backpacks. She sighed. "It's just, for a long time, I looked up to the Fireflies," she confessed as she grabbed a nearby stick and started poking at the fire. "They fought for something. They gave me hope. It seemed like they wanted a better world. They were the good guys."

"There's no good or bad in this world," Matthew said quietly as he reached for his shirt. "FEDRA. Fireflies. Hunters. Infected. Me. Good and bad. Light or dark. They have nothing to do with anything. It's all just shades of grey."

"I guess some shades are darker than others," Ellie said sadly.

Matthew put his shirt on with Ellie's help. He nodded his thanks as he struggled to keep his emotions in check. "Could you give me a moment?" he asked.

Ellie nodded. "I'll uh, I'll go check on the truck." She walked away.

Matthew rubbed his eyes. "Ellie," he called. She turned around, her red hair and green eyes reflecting in the firelight. Matthew rubbed the back of his head and took a deep breath. "Some shades are lighter too."

Ellie smiled slightly and walked toward the truck.


	40. Chapter 40

Joel opened his eyes as the soldier came to.

The man found his hands zip-tied behind his back. He tried to rise but found his legs zip-tied as well.

"Don't bother," Joel said, rising to his feet. "You're not going to get out of that. If it was possible, you wouldn't have had the zip-ties in your pocket to begin with."

"What the fuck do you want from me?" the soldier asked, ceasing his struggles.

"Answers," Joel replied. He grabbed a stick from the campfire and walked toward the man. "Are there any more of you?"

The man spat at Joel's feet.

Joel replied by placing the burning stick on the man's neck.

The man gritted his teeth in pain.

Joel removed the stick, leaving behind a burn mark. He took a step back and threw the stick to the ground. _I thought I was beyond this._

Joel grabbed the man's face and looked into his eyes, speaking softly. "You tell me what I want to know, and you _may_ live. Any more outbursts," he said, taking out his knife. "I will hold this over the fire. What happens next will be much worse."

The soldier simply nodded.

"How many more of you are there?" Joel asked again, flipping his knife.

The man slid backwards on the ground, speaking quickly. "Just me! Just me! The boy and his sister killed most of us. If I ever get a hold of that little bi—"

Joel pinched the fresh burn on the soldier's neck.

The man screamed in pain.

Joel lowered his voice. "Where did they go?" he growled. He held his breath, awaiting the soldiers answer.

"I don't know," the soldier said, turning away. "They stole the damn truck."

"Good," Joel said. "Now, tell me about this boy."

 ** _…_**

Ellie hopped in front seat of the truck and took a deep breath. She looked over and saw Matthew disappear into the barn.

Ellie sat back and rested her eyes. She began to fidget with the walkie-talkie on the seat next to her. It made a small chime as she turned it on.

 ** _…_**

Joel held up the walkie-talkie he had also taken from the surviving soldier. "This looks like a two-way radio. Where is the other one?"

"It was on the truck," the soldier said. He seemed to have given up lying and simply answered while staring at the ground.

"What's the range?" Joel asked.

"It's the best one we got. It can reach anyone on the same channel."

Joel stared at the walkie-talkie for a moment. _What if…_ He glanced at the soldier. "Keep your mouth shut."

 ** _…_**

Ellie opened her eyes and exited the truck.

"Ellie."

Ellie turned around quickly. The voice had come from the walkie-talkie inside the truck. She recognized it instantly. Ellie reached in and grabbed the walkie-talkie.

 ** _…_**

Joel took a deep breath and walked past the fire. "Ellie…" he said again. He lowered the walkie-talkie and looked at the sky before bringing the walkie-talkie back to his mouth. "I don't even know if you can hear me. I don't know if I'm talking to you. But I uh, I want you to know…"

 ** _…_**

Ellie held the walkie-talkie in her hand. A whirlwind of emotions and questions were going through her head. She couldn't speak. She only listened.

Joel continued to speak. "…I want you to know, that I still care. And…"

 ** _…_**

Joel hesitated for a moment, trying to stop the emotion he was feeling from entering his voice. "And… I want you to come home. I know that you don't want to see me. I know that I hurt you and I know I can't expect you to forgive me for lying to you…"

 ** _…_**

Ellie's grip on the walkie-talkie tightened. _You're damn right you hurt me. You owe me an—_

"And I would never apologize for doing what I did," Joel's voice continued. "I would never apologize for saving your life. I would do it again in a heartbeat…"

 ** _…_**

Joel allowed one tear to run down his face. "…You deserve better than what they were offering," he said, hoping that Ellie heard his words. "The fact is that you and I can't change the past. We can only do what's best for us and move—"

There was sudden squelching sound, indicating that someone else was trying to use the channel.

Joel let go of the 'push-to-talk' button immediately. He waited. _Please… say something… anything…_

 ** _…_**

Ellie kept her thumb pressed hard on the 'push-to-talk' button. She could barely think. She could barely sort out the emotions in her head.

Hope. _He came after me._

Regret. _I must have hurt him when I left._

Anger. _He hasn't changed. He broke my trust. And after all this time, he lectures me. How dare he? I know can't change the past. I don't need the fucking reminder._

Ellie opened her mouth to say something. She couldn't find the words.

In her frustration at both herself and Joel, Ellie smashed the walkie-talkie on the hood of the car.

 ** _…_**

Joel heard a large crack go through the walkie-talkie and the connection was lost. He shook his head and wiped away a tear. _I lost her again. But she's alive. She's still out there._

He turned and noticed that the soldier behind him was staring.

Joel pulled out his knife and walked toward the soldier.

 ** _…_**

Ellie immediately knelt to the ground and gathered up the broken pieces of the walkie-talkie, breathing heavily and fighting back tears. _What did I do?_

The walkie-talkie was beyond repair.

"Dammit!" Ellie exclaimed, throwing the pieces to the ground in anger. She slowly turned and shook her head. "Fuck…"

Matthew was standing a few feet away. "You alright?" he asked, offering her an apple.

Ellie took the apple, wondering how much he had heard. "I'm fine," she said, attempting to sound calm.

 ** _…_**

Joel knelt next to the soldier, who began to panic. "No! I told you what you wanted!" the man screamed "Don't kill me!"

Joel cut the zip-ties.

The soldier rose and backed away.

Joel grabbed him and threw him next to the fire, pinning him in place with a knee on his back. The soldier struggled until Joel thrust the knife into the ground next to the man's head.

Joel took out his gun and pressed it against his prisoner's head. For one moment, he was truly tempted to pull the trigger. He could end any threat to him or Ellie.

Joel shook his head. _No. Not today._

Joel rose and flipped the man over, shoving the gun in his mouth.

The man froze again.

"If you even think about coming after me or those two kids," Joel growled as the soldier shut his eyes in fear. "I will make you _wish_ the bear had gotten to you first."

The soldier nodded frantically.

Joel rose from the ground and watched the soldier stagger to his feet and retreat to the south.

 ** _…_**

Matthew put away his book and stood, glancing at Ellie.

The young woman was staring at the same page of her book that she had opened an hour ago.

"I'm assuming that you don't want to talk," Matthew said, grabbing his backpack. "So I'm going to get some sleep."

Ellie shook, as she if startled out of a daze, and stood. "You want the barn or the truck?"

"I'll take the truck," Matthew said. "Goodnight, Ellie."

"Thanks for not pushing," Ellie said as he started to walk away. "The situation is… complicated."

Matthew turned toward her slightly. "I'll bet."


	41. Chapter 41

Ellie awoke to the sounds of a rainstorm. "I hate storms," she moaned, rolling over in the hard dirt as she tried to get comfortable.

Lighting flashed.

Ellie rolled on her back and attempted to use her backpack as a pillow. She closed her eyes. Minutes later, she felt a small pressure on her shoulder. Ellie opened her eyes to see a small mouse curling itself into a ball.

Ellie closed her eyes again. "You're lucky that you're so small, or you'd end up as breakfast," she said quietly. Ellie's head slid off her backpack as she finally drifted off to sleep.

Ellie's eyes soon snapped open. She could hear soft footsteps moving toward her. _Not Matthew._

When Ellie heard her backpack being dragged away from her, she rolled over quickly and lashed out with her foot. It connected with the intruder's chest, sending them staggering back a step with a small grunt.

Ellie sat up and reached for her gun. It was kicked out of her grasp and a shot rang out.

Ellie rolled in the dirt, narrowly avoiding a stomp to the chest. She stood, punched the intruder in the face, and quickly grabbed her knife. The intruder stepped back and grabbed a knife from their own belt.

Both combatants froze.

Ellie squinted but couldn't see anything more than her attacker's silhouette in the darkness.

"Drop the knife!" Ellie said loudly.

The intruder shook their head.

Lightning flashed, sending light into the barn.

Ellie saw that her combatant was a younger boy. She took a small step back but tightened her grip on her knife.

"Drop the knife," Ellie repeated.

The young boy shook his head.

"Do what she says," Matthew said, stepping into the barn with his crossbow raised. "Drop the knife. Or I will drop _you_."

There was a moment of silence.

"Timmy, are you okay?" a young voice called from outside the barn.

Lightning flashed and young boy looked truly scared. He lowered his knife slightly and spoke quickly. "Clarisse, don't come in here!"

It was too late. A small girl walked around the corner behind Matthew.

Ellie immediately lowered her blade. She glanced at her companion. "Matthew."

Matthew hesitated only for a moment before lowering his own weapon.

Ellie turned back to the young boy. "Timmy, is it?" she asked slowly. She put away her knife and took a small step forward, raising her hands slightly. "We don't want to fight. Just lower the knife."

The young boy looked at the little girl and motioned to Matthew with his knife. "Let her though."

Matthew stepped aside.

The little ran over to Timmy and hugged his leg. The top of her head rested on the boy's hip.

Timmy took a step back and lowered his own knife but didn't put it back in his belt. "We don't want a fight either," he said, still sounding scared. "We're just searching for supplies."

"You shouldn't steal if you can't get away with it," Matthew advised. He leaned against the doorway, wincing in pain.

Timmy looked down for a moment and swallowed. "My sister was hungry."

Ellie looked at the pair of siblings and glanced at Matthew who nodded and walked over to Ellie, sitting beside her. After a few seconds, he set his crossbow aside.

Ellie made a small fire in the center of the barn. When she sat down again, she reached into her backpack for her last apple, throwing it to Timmy without hesitation.

Timmy handed Clarisse the apple. "Slow down before you choke," he said as Clarisse bit into the apple and swallowed without really chewing. "Here."

Timmy took the apple, grabbed a serrated knife from his belt, and began to chop the apple into smaller pieces before handing them back to his sister.

Ellie finally took a good look at the siblings in front of her.

The boy looked to be about twelve years old. He was a couple feet shorter than Matthew and had short, unkempt brown hair. His torn blue jeans showed that he had been out in the world for a while. His belt held a variety of knives. Some were large. Others were the length of one's index finger. He also had a small blue backpack around his shoulders.

Clarisse looked much younger, closer to six years old. She had long blond hair that reached below her shoulders. Her worn, purple shirt was slightly torn at the bottom. She also wore dark colored, ripped jeans that were a size too tight.

Ellie slowly rose and retrieved her gun.

Timmy's eyes snapped back and forth between Matthew and Ellie as lightning flashed again. Thunder sounded. Timmy jumped but recovered quickly. He resumed scanning the barn as Clarisse continued to eat.

"Relax," Matthew said, noticing the young boy's body nervousness. "You're safe as long as you keep the knives away from us. I'm Matthew by the way. This is Ellie."

Timmy looked at the pair of survivors, then at Clarisse. "What do you think?"

"I like her," Clarisse said, pointing at Ellie. "She gave me food."

"Don't talk with your mouth full," Timmy said, putting a hand on her head. He looked at Matthew. "What about you?"

"He's fine," Ellie said. "He'll do what I say."

Clarisse swallowed another piece of the apple. "How do you boss him around?"

Ellie gave the little girl small smile. "I have magical powers," she whispered loudly.

Clarisse smiled and Matthew put his face in his hand.

Timmy finally relaxed, placing the knife in his belt. "I'm Tim. This is Clarisse."

The little girl looked up at her brother. "Mom and dad always called you Timmy," she said, raising her chin defiantly.

"Traitor," Timmy said. He poked Clarisse in the side and she giggled.

Ellie smiled at the sight.

 ** _…_**

Matthew watched the siblings in silence as they continued eating. He looked at Ellie. Her eyes were fixed on the little girl in front of them.

Lightning flashed outside the barn again. There was a burst of thunder followed by the loud screaming of Infected in the distance.

Matthew grabbed his crossbow walked to the door.

Tim put hand on Clarisse's shoulder. "Stay here," he said firmly. He hesitated a moment, looking at Ellie. Deciding it was safe, he joined Matthew at the door. "How close do you think the Infected are?"

"I don't know," Matthew admitted. "But we should stay put for the night. They don't know where we are."

"We?" Tim asked with a raised eyebrow.

Matthew set his crossbow down and put his hair up in a ponytail. "You want to go out in the storm, be my guest. Otherwise, I'd suggest—"

A loud burst of laughter came from behind them.

Clarisse had moved to the other side of the barn and was sitting in front of Ellie.

Matthew could hear them trading jokes.

Ellie laughed at another one of Clarisse's jokes. "Okay, okay! My turn!" she said, putting a finger to her lips and thinking for a moment. "Okay. Why was six afraid of seven?"

Clarisse copied Ellie's expression for a moment. "Why?"

Ellie tapped her fingertips together evilly. "Because seven ate nine."

Clarisse let out another loud giggle.

Matthew smile slightly.

Tim stared at him.

"You need something?" Matthew asked, noticing the stare.

"No," Tim said quickly, averting his gaze. "You just… you don't seem like the kind of guy who would smile a lot."

"He has a point," Ellie said to Matthew between jokes. "You should smile more."

"Hey, pay attention to the girl's jokes," Matthew retorted.

 ** _…_**

Ellie was surprised at how comfortable she was with Clarisse. _This is so weird. I don't even know this kid. I didn't even go to the school in Jackson. I don't know any kids._

Ellie was currently trying to learn Patty Cake from Clarisse and was less than successful.

After a third failed attempt, Clarisse looked at Timmy. "Can you help me show her?" she asked.

Timmy sighed and sat down in front of Clarisse. They started slow and demonstrated the process step by step.

After they were done, Timmy stood and crossed to the other side of the barn. He sat down facing Ellie and Clarisse, smiling.

 ** _…_**

Matthew slowly sat down next to Tim. "You know how to play Patty Cake?" he asked the boy quietly.

"If you had a little sister, you'd learn how to play Patty Cake," Tim replied.

Matthew simply grunted.

 ** _…_**

Ellie played with Clarisse for another hour before Timmy said it was time for bed.

Clarisse sighed dramatically and wrapped her arms around Ellie.

Ellie froze, unsure how to react. She gave Clarisse a few light pats on the back before urging her to stand and rejoin her brother.

Matthew rose and moved toward Ellie.

Clarisse shied away as Matthew passed her and sat next to Timmy.

Matthew joined Ellie a moment later.

"You're going to be here in the morning, right?" Clarisse asked her brother.

Timmy nodded with a smile. "You bet."

Clarisse turned away for a moment.

Another look of terror flashed across Timmy's face.

Ellie looked at Matthew. "He's scared," she said quietly.

"Wouldn't you be?" Matthew asked without judgment.

Ellie swallowed.

Clarisse laid down, her hand resting on Timmy's leg.

Timmy leaned his head against the barn wall and rested his eyes, wrapping a protective arm around his sister.

"Yes," Ellie answered softly.

The storm continued well into the night. Only Clarisse was able to sleep.

Timmy jumped again as another loud burst of thunder echoed through the barn.

Ellie and Matthew sat shoulder to shoulder, gazing at the doorway.

Ellie stretched out her legs and looked at the young boy. "Timmy, where are your parents?" she asked. "You seem kinda young to be out here by yourself."

Timmy took a deep breath. He clenched and unclenched his fists. After a moment, he looked at his sleeping sister, speaking quietly. "They're… They're not around anymore. We were living in a small Quarantine Zone in Arizona. A year ago, when rumors began to spread that Infected got in, our family packed up and ran. It was that or let the military use us. We began to search for another safe place to live."

"Where'd you end up?" Ellie asked, glancing at Matthew who had a distant look on his face.

Timmy motioned around them. "We uh, we found a home in a place like this. Plenty of farm land. We were able to sustain ourselves, get shelter for the winter. Then one day, dad came home. His arm had a large…" Timmy stopped and looked down. He shuddered and swallowed. "He had a bite mark. He started whispering to mom. My father gave me and Clarisse a hug. Then he locked himself in our parent's bedroom. My mom, Clarisse, and I… we left that night."

Clarisse stirred.

Timmy patted her on the head and began to softly run his fingers through her hair. He took a moment to cover Clarisse's ears. She continued to sleep.

A few tears welled up in Timmy's eyes. "About three weeks ago, we were being chased by a pack of Clickers and…" Timmy hesitated. "We took cover in a small cabin. I had Clarisse in my arms. I told her to keep her eyes closed no matter what. They were banging on the door. It was barely holding up."

Clarisse whimpered in her sleep.

Timmy whispered something in her ear she relaxed.

Ellie found herself tempted to rise and hold Clarisse as well. She pushed the temptation aside.

Timmy sniffled. "Mom said that she had to move on. She said that she had to leave… and…" Timmy looked away and a tear fell down his face.

Ellie and Matthew looked at each other. Neither knew what to say.

Timmy wiped the tear off his face. "She gave us a hug, told me to take care of my sister, and ran out shooting. Clarisse and I escaped. Mom didn't."

Timmy took another ragged breath and rubbed his eyes with his thumb and index finger.

Ellie glanced at Matthew. Once again, he seemed lost in his own thoughts.

"I suppose I'm not the only one going through this," Timmy said simply, obviously making an attempt to cover up his grief.

"It happens more often than you think," Ellie said sympathetically. "I'm sorry about your parents."

Timmy tried to shrug it off. "Well, my parents taught us two things. The first was to learn any and every skill we could. The second…" Timmy looked down, making sure Clarisse was still asleep. "We were taught that there may be a time when our parents will have to leave. To move on. But no matter what, Clarisse and I have to keep going as long as we can until we know we're safe."

Ellie shifted uncomfortably and accidently bumped Matthew. He became alert once more.

"What about you guys?" Timmy asked, once again seeming to force a lighter tone into his voice. "Brother and sister?"

Matthew sniggered.

Ellie elbowed him. "No," she said, surprised to feel a slight warmth on her cheeks. "Just friends."

"Right…" Timmy said skeptically. He fell silent.

"So how do you do it?" Matthew asked speaking for the first time in hours. "Survive, I mean. You've been on your own for a few weeks. You had to have gotten food somehow."

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Timmy mumbled as he looked down.

Matthew stood. "So show me."

Timmy tried to rise but Clarisse stirred again. He moved his leg and placed his backpack under her head. She moaned and curled her arms around it.

Matthew walked forward and spread his arms. "Ready when you are," he said. "Go easy on the left shoulder."

"You don't want me to use you for a demonstration," Timmy said with a slight smile on his face.

Matthew tipped his head in confusion.

Timmy grabbed a knife from his belt and held it by the blade. He walked to the barn's entrance.

Ellie moved next to Clarisse so she could see.

Outside, the rain had ceased but the lightning storm continued. Small animals moved across the dirt covered ground.

Timmy pointed to one of the animals. "You see that mouse?"

Matthew nodded.

Timmy flicked his wrist and the knife was gone.

Matthew raised his eyebrows in surprise.

Timmy retrieved his knife.

Ellie could see that it was covered in blood.

"Where did you learn how to do that?" Ellie exclaimed.

"Self-taught," Timmy said, walking back into the barn. "I got the scars on my palm to prove it. The trick is to hold the knife by the blade, not the hilt."

"Neat skill, Tim," Matthew said, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "That'll get you far."

Timmy nodded. For a moment, he looked confident. Lightning flashed again and the moment was gone.

Matthew tapped Timmy's shoulder to get his attention. "You've proven you can throw the knife," he said to the boy. "How are you up close?"

Timmy slashed his blade in the air a few times. "Well… I haven't had to…" He looked down as if he was disappointed in himself.

Matthew glanced at Ellie, who shrugged, slightly confused by Matthew's interest in the boy.

Matthew grabbed his own knife. "C'mon, I'll show you a few things."

"Really?" Timmy asked, surprised.

"Why not?" Matthew said with a shrug. "I'm not tired."

Timmy looked at Clarisse. He nodded to himself. "Rule number one; learn what you can," he mumbled under his breath. He glanced at Clarisse and turned to Ellie. "Would you mind?"

"I'll keep an eye on her," Ellie assured him.

 ** _…_**

Matthew and Tim walked into the night and around the side of the barn.

Tim grabbed the biggest knife on his belt.

Matthew stood back as Tim slashed a few times in the air.

"You definitely have the strength and speed to use the knife," Matthew said with a nod. "You also have a large variety of knives. That has its advantages too."

Tim lowered the blade. "Why are you helping me?" he asked, looking Matthew in the eye.

"I have my reasons," Matthew replied. He offered no other explanation. "Rule number one; the biggest blade is not always the best one to use."

 ** _…_**

Ellie rested her eyes. She could hear the occasional voice outside.

Clarisse stirred in her sleep and began to whimper again. "Dad… daddy…"

Ellie reached out as the whimpering became louder.

"Mommy…" Clarisse moaned. "Mom… Timmy!"

The moment Ellie touched Clarisse shoulder, the little girl's eyes snapped open. Clarisse let out a small scream and flung herself into Ellie's arms.

After a few seconds, Clarisse woke up enough to realize where she was.

Ellie hugged her protectively. _This little girl doesn't belong out here._

Clarisse looked around frantically. "Where— Where's Timmy?"

"He's outside with Matthew," said Ellie gently. "Do you want me to go get him?"

Clarisse shook her head. "No…"

"How about you try to go back to sleep," Ellie said, instinctively running a hand through Clarisse's hair.

Clarisse snuggled closer to Ellie.

Ellie felt a moment of sadness as the small girl continued to shake uncontrollably.

Ellie picked Clarisse up slightly and sat against the wall.

Clarisse finally began to relax.

Ellie took a deep breath. _How would Jo… A parent do this?_

"Can you sing to me?" Clarisse asked as she closed her eyes.

"Umm…" Ellie said. She couldn't think of any kid's songs. "What song?"

"I don't know," Clarisse said sleepily. "How about Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star?"

"I'm sorry, I don't know that one," Ellie said, disappointed in herself.

"Just sing something you know."

"Something I know…" Ellie said, shutting her eyes.

 ** _…_**

"Alright, Tim," Matthew said, putting away his knife. "That's enough for tonight. We should at least try to get some sleep. The sun will be up in a few hours."

Tim nodded and placed his knife back into his belt.

The two boys walked into the barn to see Ellie asleep against the wall. Clarisse was snuggled in her lap, also fast asleep.

Tim stopped.

Matthew stopped as well. "Do you want me to wake—"

"No," Tim said quickly. He sighed. "Clarisse doesn't sleep well some nights. Let them sleep."

"Funny," Matthew said, settling against a wall. "I could say the same about Ellie."

 ** _…_**

Ellie felt a small prod on her shoulders. She opened her eyes to see Matthew kneeling in front of her.

Ellie looked around. The morning sunlight filtered in through the barn doors. "What time is it?" she asked with a yawn.

"Close to about nine," Matthew said softly. "Tim wanted to let Clarisse sleep in."

Ellie looked down to see Clarisse still in her lap. Ellie's left arm was still wrapped around the small girl. Ellie withdrew her arm.

Timmy walked forward, grabbed Clarisse, and gently lifted her up into his arms.

"How's your shoulder?" Ellie asked Matthew.

"It'll heal."

"Is it time to go?" Clarisse asked Timmy without opening her eyes.

"Yup," Timmy said gently. "We should reach our new home in a couple days."

Clarisse pointed at Ellie and Matthew. "Can they come with us?"

"I think they're headed in a different direction, Clarisse," Timmy said with regret.

Timmy hugged his sister tightly and turned to Ellie and Matthew. "Where _are_ you headed?" he asked.

Ellie looked at Matthew.

Matthew hesitated for a moment. Then he shrugged. "Austin… Texas."

Ellie got up and yawned. "Where are _you_ two headed?" she asked in return, rubbing her neck.

Timmy grabbed his backpack. "There's a town in Colorado a couple days walk from here. Rumor has it, they've managed to keep Infected out. It's small and defendable. Some say they've built stone walls and everything."

Matthew froze.

Ellie's mouth dropped open.

Timmy saw their reaction and tensed.

Clarisse stared between them, knowing something was wrong.

"That's not a good idea," Ellie said slowly. "We just came through there. There's not much left."

Timmy froze.

Clarisse to slid to the ground. "What's wrong, Timmy?" the small girl asked.

Timmy forced a smile and knelt. "Why don't you hang out with Ellie and Matthew for a minute."

Clarisse walked back to Ellie and grabbed her hand.

Timmy left the barn quickly.

Ellie gave Matthew a look of concern.

Matthew nodded and set down his backpack.

 ** _…_**

Matthew walked around the side of the barn to see Tim throwing a knife at a nearby squirrel.

The knife landed several feet away from its target. The squirrel retreated to the top of the barn.

Tim shook his head and anger and turned toward a small fence, kicking it as hard as he could.

"You gotta pull it together, Tim," Matthew said calmly as he walked forward.

Tim spun around. "Don't tell me what I have to do!" he said loudly.

Matthew folded his arms, wincing from the pain in his shoulder. "I shouldn't have to."

Tim laced his fingers together and held them behind his head. He began to pace. "You don't know what it's like!" he almost shouted.

"What?" Matthew pressed, blocking Tim's path.

"You don't know what it's…" Tim's voice trailed off as he realized how loud he was speaking. He lowered his voice but spoke faster. "You don't know what it's like to have to protect someone. To be twelve years old and be in charge of your six-year-old sister. To have to provide for her every minute of every day."

Matthew lowered his arms. He didn't respond. He simply listened.

Tim looked down and shook his head. His shoulders slumped as he started to speak at a normal volume. "You don't know what it's like to be afraid of losing the one thing you have left in this world. To think…" Tim's voice cracked. He turned around and ran his hands down his face. "To think about what would happen if I lost her. If it was _my_ fault. If _I_ let her down."

Matthew watched in patient silence. He waited until Tim as ready to speak again.

"I'm just a kid," Tim said, turning to look at Matthew. He took a deep breath and spoke calmly. "No matter how hard you try, you will _never_ be able to comprehend how I feel. You will _never_ understand what my life is like. _Never._ "

Matthew took small step forward. "You're right, Tim. I can't comprehend that," he said, keeping his voice equally quiet. "But _you_ have to keep your cool or you won't make it."

"What am I supped to do?" Tim asked.

Matthew put a hand on Tim's shoulder.

Matthew spoke both gently and firmly. "Keep fighting. For yourself, for her, whatever works. If you lose the will," he said, reaching down and grabbing a knife from Tim's belt. "You won't be able to find a way."

Tim looked down.

Matthew watched as a series of emotions crossed the boy's features.

Finally, Tim nodded.

Matthew offered Tim the knife. "Try again, Tim."

Tim grabbed the knife. He held it by the blade and turned, throwing the knife at the squirrel on top the barn.

 ** _…_**

Ellie and Clarisse stood as Matthew and Timmy reentered the barn.

Tim shoved two knives back into his belt.

Clarisse walked up to her brother. "Where did you go?" she asked with both fear and concern in her voice.

"I got us lunch for later," Timmy said lightly, holding up a small squirrel. "C'mon, we should get going."

Ellie glanced at Matthew. The young man stood to the side, watching the exchange in silence.

The four of them gathered their stuff and walked out of the barn, moving toward the truck.

Ellie watched as Timmy looked into the distance with uncertainty.

Ellie looked into the distance as well. "Do you have a map?" she asked Timmy.

"Yeah," Timmy said. "Why?"

"Because I think I know a safe place you can go."

Timmy's eyes glinted with hope. "Clarisse," he said, kneeling. "Can you grab the big map out of my backpack?"

Ellie examined the map Clarisse handed her. She traced the state of Wyoming with her finger. "You can try and make it here, to Jackson County. There's a self-sustained town there."

Tim looked over the map.

"It's run by good people," Ellie continued as sadness crept into her eyes. "They'll give you a safe place to stay."

Timmy examined the map for another moment. He traced his finger from their approximate location to Jackson County.

"Think you can make it?" Ellie asked Timmy, looking at Clarisse.

Timmy nodded. "We'll have to. Thanks," he said gratefully, turning to both Matthew and Ellie. "For everything."

Ellie nodded. "We should be going too."

"Why can't you come with?" Clarisse asked as tears up welled in her eyes.

Ellie knelt to the girl's level. "Matthew and I are going in a different direction," she said, putting a hand on the little girl's shoulder. Ellie felt her own eyes starting to water. "I'm sorry, Clarisse."

Clarisse looked down. Her disappointment was evident as her shoulders slumped and she started kicking a rock on the ground.

"Hey," Ellie said, in a light tone. "Do I get a hug before I—oof!"

Clarisse hugged Ellie as hard as she could.

Ellie hugged her back. And for the briefest moment, she realized that she didn't want to let go.

Ellie allowed a few tears to slide down her cheeks. _Don't be weak, Ellie._ She took a deep breath and ended the hug.

Ellie looked into Clarisse's eyes. "I want to give you something,"

Clarisse smiled.

Ellie reached into the third zipper of her backpack and withdrew Sam's small, toy robot. "This belonged to a friend of mine," she said gently, offering Clarisse the toy. "He had to go away. I think he would want someone else to have this."

Clarisse took the robot and started moving the arms and legs.

"It's a super cool robot," Ellie said excitedly. "It'll protect you."

Ellie glanced at Timmy who was staring at the ground. She looked at Clarisse. "Hey, how about you go show Matthew the robot," she suggested to the little girl. "I want to talk to Timmy for a moment."

Clarisse walked over to Matthew who knelt to greet her.

Ellie walked up to Timmy.

Timmy looked up to meet her gaze.

"She needs your protection," Ellie said firmly.

"I know," Timmy said quietly.

"Good," Ellie said. She reached into her belt and withdrew her pistol, ejecting the clip and offering the weapon to Timmy. "You know how to use this?"

Timmy hesitated. For a moment, he looked scared of the weapon. He blinked once and the fear was gone. Timmy grabbed the handgun, inserted the clip, drew back the barrel, and looked down the sights.

Ellie reached into her backpack and grabbed the spare clip and bullet. She hesitated for a moment. _No. They need it more than I do._ She reached into her back pockets and withdrew the last two clips as well, offering all of them to Timmy.

"For emergencies only," Ellie said. "They're loud. Save what ammo you can. You never know what's around the next corner."

Timmy placed an extra clip in his back pocket and threw the rest into his backpack. "Do you have an extra gun for yourself?" he asked.

Ellie grabbed the end of her bow with her hand. "I can make do. Keep the gun away from Clarisse. I don't care where you are. If you're asleep, you make sure the gun is empty."

Ellie returned to the truck to see Matthew and Clarisse completing a perfect round of Patty Cake.

"Clarisse," Ellie said gently. She knelt again. "Matthew and I have to go."

Clarisse nodded and turned to Matthew, who gave her a high five. Clarisse gave Ellie one last hug and said goodbye before running to her brother.

 ** _…_**

Matthew watched Clarisse return to her brother before hauling himself into the driver's seat of the truck.

Ellie got into the passenger seat, watching Clarisse and Tim talking.

Matthew turned the key and the truck started. He glanced at Ellie. She was still staring behind them at Tim and Clarisse.

Matthew looked down for a moment. _She's better than the rest._

Ellie continued to stare.

Matthew glanced at the side-view mirror and saw his own reflection. He reached out and turned the mirror inward.

Ellie finally turned forward but continued to watch the young pair behind them through the rear-view mirror.

Matthew glanced at the rear-view mirror as well. Clarisse and Tim were walking away side-by-side.

Tim had his arm wrapped around Clarisse's shoulder.

"Matthew?"

Matthew slowly looked at Ellie.

The young woman was staring at him. "What's the holdup?" she asked.

Matthew leaned back in his seat and stared at the roof of the cab. "Ellie," he said calmly. "How far are you willing to go with me?"

"Well…" Ellie said, staring straight ahead. "I got nothing better to do."

"Okay," Matthew said. He removed the keys from the ignition. "Get out of the truck."

They both exited the truck.

Ellie stood off to the side.

"Tim," Matthew called.

The young man turned.

Matthew threw him the keys.

Timmy caught them. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Trying to comprehend," Matthew replied.

Ellie gave him a look of confusion.

Matthew continued speaking. "You know how to drive?"

"Yeah," Tim said, tightening his grip on the keys. "Dad taught me."

Matthew turned and walked with Tim and Clarisse toward the truck.

"There are a few cans of gas in the back," Matthew said, tapping the truck's bed. "And a rubber hose under the seat if you can use it. Make sure you avoid any major cities or towns. Stick to the country roads."

"Whatever your reasons," Tim said, extending his hand. "Thanks."

Matthew took the hand, shaking it firmly.

Tim knelt and looked at Clarisse. "Get in the truck. Put the seatbelt on."

Clarisse ran past Ellie, who patted her on the head.

Ellie gave Matthew a small smile before looking away quickly.

Tim nodded at Ellie and patted Matthew on his good shoulder. "Be good to her," he said. "She's a keeper."

"Just get in the truck," Matthew said with a small laugh. "Good luck, Tim."

 ** _…_**

Ellie and Matthew stood side-by-side, watching the truck recede into the distance.

Matthew turned away first. "We should go," he said quietly, seemingly forgetting the selfless kindness he'd just shown. "We've already lost a few hours."

Ellie nodded and turned away.

They started trekking across the fields.

After an hour, Ellie couldn't stand the silence. She looked at her companion "Matthew," she started cautiously. "Do you hate yourself?"

"I have some demons that I still have to work out," Matthew answered, seeming to be just as careful with his words.

Ellie glanced behind her. The truck was long gone. "Well," she said. "I think you've made a good start. But you avoided the question."

Matthew remained silent for a minute.

Ellie waited.

"I lost someone," Matthew said finally. He let out a sigh. "No, actually, I didn't just lose them. I abandoned them when they needed me the most. And I never looked back. Not for a long, long time. It was the worst mistake I've ever made."

Ellie looked down, unsure what to say. When she looked up, Matthew had put his hair into a ponytail.

"You think that they're in Austin?" Ellie asked.

Matthew didn't answer.

Ellie nodded and dropped the subject. Her thoughts drifted back to Clarisse and Timmy. _What if they don't make it? What if something goes wrong?_

Matthew looked over at her. "It'll be okay," he said as if reading her thoughts. "I'm sure they're gonna be fine."

Ellie shoved her hands in her pockets. _How does he keep doing that? Am I really that transparent?_ "Do think there's any hope?" she asked.

"I think they can survive," Matthew said. "Tim has someone to fight for."

"Not just them," Ellie clarified. "Us. Humanity. Or whatever's left of it. Can we go back to whatever we were?"

"If there's more people like you," Matthew said with a small smile. "Yeah. Yeah, I think there's a chance."

Ellie pulled on her sleeve. "You mean my immunity?"

"No," Matthew said with a small shake of his head. "Just you."

Ellie smiled and gave him a small one-handed hug.

"Wow," Matthew said.

Ellie noticed a small blush on his face as he turned away. "What?" she asked.

Matthew shrugged and the look was gone. "You haven't said a curse word in fourteen hours."

"Shut the fuck up, Matthew."


	42. Chapter 42

Joel stopped near a large farmhouse located next to a two-story barn.

The sun was beginning to set when he saw a truck moving toward him in the distance.

Joel flung himself to the ground to avoid being seen and crawled behind a low fence. He waited as the truck drew closer. It stopped a few feet away from his hiding place.

Joel couldn't see the cab.

"I'll be right back," a young boy's voice said. "Stay in the truck and keep an eye out."

Joel glanced over the fence and saw a young boy exit the truck and grab a gas canister. The boy moved to the other side of the truck.

Joel rose from the ground and began to move alongside the vehicle, grabbing his pistol as a precaution.

Joel could hear a girl humming, causing him to freeze. _I haven't heard that song since…_

Joel rose slightly and looked in the cab. It was occupied by a little girl.

The little girl jumped at the sight of him, her eyes filled with fear. "Who are you?" she shouted. "Timmy!"

Joel looked up to see a shoe coming at him. It collided with his face, sending him to the ground. Joel rolled onto his back and saw the boy standing in the back of the truck. He had a pistol pointed directly at Joel.

"Don't move," the boy ordered. The gun shook slightly in his hands.

Joel made no attempt to move. The boy jumped down and glanced at his young companion. Joel swept a foot under the boy, causing him to fall to the ground. Joel rolled over, retrieving his own pistol.

Joel stood and pointed his weapon at the boy, whose gun was still pointed at Joel. The young boy remained on the ground.

Joel motioned with his gun. "Toss it."

The boy shook his head.

Suddenly, the girl jumped in front of Joel. "No! Don't hurt my brother!"

The young boy tried to shove his sister aside.

Joel now noticed that the little girl held a toy robot.

Joel hesitated for a moment. He lowered his gun and took a small step back, allowing the boy to rise.

The boy didn't lower his gun.

"What are your names?" Joel asked calmly.

The little girl looked at her brother.

"My name is Tim," the young boy said, moving his sister behind him. "Her name is Clarisse."

Joel placed his gun on the ground. "Clarisse," he started gently. "Did another girl give you that robot?"

Clarisse slowly nodded.

Tim took a small step forward.

Joel raised both hands. "Tim, I don't want to hurt you. And I don't want to hurt your sister," he said, kicking his gun away. "I just want to talk."

"Who are you?" Tim asked. He leveled his weapon.

Joel looked at Clarisse. "What was the girl's name?" he asked gently. "The one who gave you the robot."

Again, Clarisse looked to her brother, who nodded. Clarisse raised her chin. "Her name is Ellie."

"Thank God," Joel said. He sat down and let out a breath of relief.

Tim finally lowered his gun. He looked at his sister. "Can you get in the back?" he asked. "Bring your robot."

Clarisse, using Tim as support, climbed into the truck bed, hugging the robot tightly.

Tim climbed in and sat next her, keeping her at arm's reach. He kept his gaze fixed on Joel. "Who are you?" he repeated.

Joel slowly reached for his weapon, looking into the boy's eyes for permission.

Tim nodded.

Joel grabbed the pistol and shoved it back into his belt. "My name is Joel," he said placing his hands on the ground beside him. "I've been searching for Ellie about a month."

"She didn't mention you," Tim said. When Joel didn't reply, Tim spoke again. "Tell me what you know about her."

"What?" Joel asked, confused.

Tim glanced at Clarisse, who was watching with interest. "Tell me what you know about Ellie," he said, gripping his gun a little tighter. "You want to find her. But I owe Ellie and her friend a debt. So I need to know she can trust you."

Joel sighed. "Well. She had green eyes. She has a guitar. She always wears her hair up in a ponytail. She has a switchblade knife. She uses a bow. She…" Joel fell silent for a moment. He glanced at the toy robot Clarisse held in her hand and continued. "She's good. Kind."

"Are you her dad?" Clarisse asked suddenly.

"It's complicated," Joel answered. He stood and walked toward Tim. "I need you to answer a few questions. Please."

Tim nodded, finally relaxing. "Alright."

Clarisse pulled on Tim's arm. "Can we play 'I Spy'?" she asked.

"Okay," Tim said with a sigh. "But I have to talk to Joel too."

Joel smiled at the sight.

"I spy something… brown," Clarisse said.

"The truck."

Clarisse nodded and continued look around her.

"Is Ellie hurt?" Joel asked.

"No," Tim answered.

"What about this boy she's with?" Joel asked slowly. "Is he dangerous?"

"It was a little tense when I… first met Ellie," Tim said hesitantly. "But when she felt safe, he relaxed. That being said, I wouldn't want to make her friend angry."

Joel ran his hand through his hair. _What does this boy want with Ellie?_

"I spy something red," Clarisse interrupted.

"The gas can," Tim said.

Clarisse fell silent once more.

Joel had watched the exchange in silence. _This boy looks younger than Ellie did when I first met her._ "How old are you, kid?"

"Twelve," Tim replied. "Not that my age matters given my situation."

Joel rubbed his eyes. _This kid is alone._ His eyes fell on the gun still clutched in Tim's hand. "That's a nice looking weapon," Joel said. "Where did you get it?"

"Ellie, actually," Tim replied. "Although, I don't think that she did it for me."

Tim's eyes flicked to Clarisse.

"Did she have a spare gun?" Joel pressed.

"Nope," Tim answered. "She said she could use her bow."

"She did, huh?" Joel grunted. He felt relieved. _She gave away a gun…_ "And the truck?"

Tim laughed. "That was her friend, actually. Don't ask me why he gave it up. I don't know."

Joel opened his mouth to ask another question.

"I spy something shiny," Clarisse said.

Tim rolled his eyes. "The sun."

"Nope."

"Your robot?"

"Wrong. Give up?"

"I give up."

Clarisse turned again and squinted at the barn behind her. "It's… huh, it's not there anymore. It was in the window of that barn."

Tim walked to the end of the truck to get a better angle. "I don't see anything, Clarisse. Wait… now I see it. What is that?"

Joel saw the glint as well. "Kid, get down!"

Tim's eyes widened he ran for his sister. "Clarisse!"

Two shots rang out as Joel leaned into the back of the truck and tugged Clarisse backward over the side.

A bullet met flesh.

Tim jumped behind the truck a second later to see Clarisse on the ground, cradled in Joel's arms.

"Clarisse!" Tim shouted.

"She's fine!" Joel said, releasing Clarisse. He grabbed his pistol. "Just stay down!"

Joel took a few shots at the window. Half a second later, he ducked down as a bullet pinged off the side-view mirror next to him.

Joel looked over and saw Clarisse sit up. She was shaking uncontrollably.

Tim brought Clarisse further into the cover of the truck. "Stay down," he said firmly. "I've got to help Joel."

Joel fired off another round as Tim crawled toward him.

"Your arm," Tim gasped.

Joel tilted his left arm and saw a thin line of blood.

Clarise continued to lay off to the side, keeping her eyes shut.

"It's fine," Joel assured Tim. "Just a graze."

Tim looked at Joel, then at Clarisse, who now had her head in her arms.

Joel leaned around the truck and saw a revolver through the second story window of the barn. The setting sun reflected off its surface.

"There's only one of them," Joel said after a moment of thought. He glanced at his weapon and realized he had one shot left in the clip.

"What now?" Tim asked.

Joel looked at Tim. "I need you to cover me."

Tim nodded and moved to Clarisse, whispering in his sister's ear. "Whatever happens, don't look."

Tim fired a few rounds. The bullets ricochet off the rim of the window. Joel ran out from behind the truck and into the barn. He dove under the stairs and crouched as two bullets came through the floor from above.

"I know you're under there, asshole!" the gunman shouted. "I want that truck back!"

Joel pointed his gun at the floor above him and listened carefully.

The man above him took a small step. The old wood creaked loudly below his feet.

Joel fired his weapon up through the floor. The bullet went through the rotted boards and into the man's foot.

The shooter screamed in pain and fell to the floor.

Joel ejected his weapon's empty clip and ran up the stairs. At the top, Joel's foot broke through the one of the old floorboards, causing him to drop the new clip.

Joel tugged hard and got his leg free just as the shooter limped to his feet.

As the man raised his weapon again, Joel charged into him, sending him out the open window. Joel ran to the window in time to see Tim kicking the man hard in the face, knocking him unconscious.

Tim looked up at Joel and nodded.

Joel retrieved his pistol's clip and reloaded. He ran outside and dragged the man out of sight, depositing him on the side of the barn. Joel grabbed the revolver, which had one round left, and searched the man's pockets.

When Joel reached the truck, he saw Tim was talking to his sister.

Clarisse was refusing to open her eyes. Her breathing was fast and short.

Tim put a hand on her shoulder. "Clarisse, I need you to look at me," he said firmly. After a moment, Clarisse opened her eyes and looked at her brother.

Tim grabbed her face gently with both hands. "You're fine," he said softly. "Nothing's going to happen to you. I won't let anything happen to you, okay?"

Clarisse said nothing. She continued to shake.

Tim reached over and grabbed the fallen robot. "You remember what Ellie said about this robot?"

Clarisse grabbed the robot. "She said…" Clarisse took another breath and hugged the robot close. "She said it would protect me. She said it would keep me safe."

"And it has," Tim said with a small smile. He put a hand under her arm and hauled her to her feet. "But we need to stand up. We need to go to a safer place."

Joel watched as Tim helped Clarisse into the truck's cab and closed the door.

Joel's eyes never left the small girl and her robot.

"I need to get her out of here," Tim said as he moved toward the driver's seat.

"Where are you headed?" Joel asked.

"Ellie said that there's a safe place in Wyoming."

"Jackson County," Joel guessed.

"Yeah," Tim said, surprised. He got into the driver's seat and started the truck.  
"You been there?"

"Yeah," Joel answered.

Tim glanced at Clarisse. "Are you buckled in?"

Clarisse nodded and stared at the robot in her hands.

Joel placed a hand on the driver's door. "Kid, I got a favor to ask."

Tim looked at his sister and back at Joel. "Anything."

"When you get to Jackson, ask for Tommy or Maria. Tommy is my brother. Maria is his wife. They'll keep you safe," Joel promised. He turned away and stroked his beard for a moment. "Tell them uh… tell them that Joel is safe and that he's still looking… but we're both safe. Tell them we'll be back as soon as we can."

"I will," Tim assured him. He gripped the steering wheel a little tighter. "Why do you want to find Ellie?"

"I want to bring her home," Joel said. "I want to keep her safe."

Tim reached over and double-checked Clarisse was buckled in. "What do you think, Clarisse?"

"He sounds like dad," Clarisse answered. "He always said the word 'safe'."

Tim turned back to Joel. "Texas," he said. "Austin, Texas. That's where her friend said they were going. If… _when_ you find them, just tell them we said 'hi'."

"Thank you," Joel said.

"Thank Ellie and her friend," Tim replied. "They've done more than you know."

"You should get going," Joel advised, closing the driver's door. "Keep the gun away from the girl."

Tim chuckled and shook his head.

"Something funny?" Joel asked.

"Ellie said the same thing."

"Good luck," Joel said after a moment.

As the car pulled away, Joel turned and walked toward the barn. He rounded the corner to see the gunman rising to his knees. Joel ran forward and kicked him hard in the face, sending him to the ground again.

"I remember you," Joel growled, feeling his anger rise. "Last night, I saved your life."

The soldier started to move again.

Joel kicked man in the side. "I let you go," he grunted. "I could have killed you."

The soldier rolled over in pain and just stared at Joel.

"I told you not to come after me," Joel said. "I told you not to go after the girl or the boy. You didn't listen."

The man attempted to stand again. "I couldn't return to base without—"

Joel gritted his teeth and kicked in the man's knee. The man collapsed with a scream of pain. Joel quickly stifled the scream by sending his boot into the soldier's face once again. Three teeth fell to the ground. The man coughed up blood and held his cracked nose.

Joel took another step forward. "You didn't listen," he repeated, lowering his voice until it was only a whisper. "And you were willing to kill a little girl to get a _Goddamn_ truck."

The soldier was now truly afraid. He rolled over and attempted to crawl away. Joel walked forward and kicked him in the side again, flipping him on his back.

Joel grabbed the revolver.

"Please!" the soldier begged.

Joel shook his head. "You don't get another chance."

The soldier screamed.

Joel leveled his weapon and pulled the trigger.


	43. Chapter 43

Summer:

May

"Okay," Ellie started with a yawn. She wiped the sweat away from her eyes. "Why does it always feel like a twelve hour day of sneaking around Clickers and Runners is more exhausting than a fifteen hour day of just plain walking and scavenging?"

"It's the adrenaline," Matthew answered as he clipped his crossbow to his belt. "It gives you a lot of energy when you need it. The downfall is that when the adrenaline runs out, you have less energy than when you started. Same thing with soda."

"Don't ruin soda for the world," Ellie retorted. "And I hate that you can actually explain this crap."

"Just one of my many talents," Matthew replied.

"Yeah, that and setting your hair on fire," Ellie muttered under her breath.

Matthew grabbed the knife from his belt and wiped the fresh blood on his sleeve. "You know, Ellie? I think I'm starting to miss that question game you invented, or even your annoying whistling."

"You want a question?" Ellie asked, punching him lightly on the shoulder. "Okay. Do you think I'm… cute?" She widened her eyes and tried to do her best 'Clarisse' impression.

"Not really," Matthew said.

Ellie's face didn't change.

Matthew rolled his eyes. "You could be uglier I guess."

Ellie made a pouty face and kicked aside a stick. "Wow. That was… rude. But hey, at least I'm a keeper," she said happily, giving him a grin that showed off all her teeth.

Matthew chuckled. "Cute."

A day later, the pair found themselves at an abandoned state fare twenty miles from Austin.

Ellie and Matthew now wore clothing suitable for the hot, humid Texas summer.

Matthew still wore blue jeans but now sported a light blue t-shirt.

Ellie also wore blue jeans. Due to her bite, she was forced to wear a dark blue sweater that covered her arms. Underneath her sweater, she also wore a light blue t-shirt.

Upon reaching the fare's center, the two of them split off, searching the nearby tents, concessions stands, and trailers. They reconvened ten minutes later.

Ellie dropped a bag of coins into her backpack. "At least we have more arrows," she said, somewhat disappointed in their findings.

"We aren't the first people here," Matthew said as he kicked aside an old toy gun. "Tools and potential weapons are gone. Food is rotted. I got a couple bottles of sodas though. What else did you get?"

"I found a couple spare flashlights and some batteries," Ellie said lamely. "We take what we can get, I guess."

"Exactly."

The sun was beginning to set. They moved through the grass covered fare.

Ellie looked around her at the various rides. "Ali-Baba, Scrambler, Sizzler, Tilt-A-Whirl, Zipper. I wish we could ride some of these," she said longingly.

"Well, unfortunately we can't just flip the power on," Matthew said. He looked around at the rides. "So, if you had the chance to try any one of these, which one would it be?"

"Any of them," Ellie said, looking at the top of a particularly high ride. "Except the Zipper."

Matthew looked at the towering structure. The vertical tracks were lined with ten small cages that could hold three people each.

"Me either," Matthew admitted. "I don't like feeling trapped. Funny, of all the fears I have, it's claustrophobia… sort of. Plus, I really don't like heights that I can't climb down from."

Ellie pointed to the tent in front of her. "How about this?"

Matthew looked up. A large billboard read 'House of Mirrors'.

"Knock yourself out," Matthew said uncomfortably. He looked at the attraction behind him. "What about that one?"

Ellie turned and looked.

The giant pink slide that started above them had one large bump in the middle. At the top, there was a sign that read 'Super Slide'.

"That I could do," Ellie replied. She grabbed Matthew's hand. "C'mon, the stairs are over here."

Ellie ran to the top and slid down the long slide with her hands up in the air. "This is awesome!" she shouted. She hit the ground at the bottom with a hard bump. "Shit!"

Ellie rose and wiped the dirt from her clothes. She looked around and froze. A carousel rested at the edge of the park. Ellie sank to the ground as memories came flooding back in. Her memories of the Liberty City Mall in the Boston Quarantine Zone had never faded.

 _Bricking the cars._

 _The masks._

 _The photo booth._

 _The carousel. Ellie rode it once in a circle. Riley joined her. The ride stopped._

 _Dancing on the glass display case._

 _Runners._

 _Running._

 _Climbing._

 _Falling._

 _Infected._

Ellie jumped as she felt a pressure on her shoulder.

Matthew was sitting next to her with concern. "Are you—"

Ellie realized that she was crying. "I need a minute," she said, rising and turning away to wipe her tears.

"Ellie—"

"Leave me alone, Matthew!"

Ellie ran as fast as she could into the House of Mirrors.

When she reached the center, she finally stopped. The ripped top of the tent let in a faint light.

Ellie felt the exhaustion of the day wash over her, allowing much of the emotions she kept buried to simmer just below the surface.

Ellie stared at her reflection in the mirror. There was no trace of the clean girl who had once lived in Jackson. The image in front of her had ripped clothing and dirty hair. _This is me. This is who I am._

Matthew's image joined her. The young man next to her mirrored both her image and that of a fellow survivor.

"See anything new?" Matthew asked.

"No, something old," Ellie said, continuing to stare at their reflections. "I thought you didn't like mirrors."

"I don't," Matthew said with a shrug. "I was just concerned."

Ellie didn't reply.

Matthew put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Is there anything you want to talk about?" he asked. "That slide obviously triggered something."

"You want to talk about the past?" Ellie said irritably, turning toward him. She allowed her anger to flare. "That's funny, considering we're in Texas now and you _still_ haven't told me who were looking for."

"Okay…" Matthew said dramatically, clearly annoyed. He took a step backward. "There's the 'if you don't back off I'm going to deck you' tone. Point taken. It was just a question, Ellie."

Matthew walked away without a word.

 ** _…_**

Matthew looked at the ground the entire way out of the House of Mirrors, unable to look at his reflection. _I can't say she's wrong._

Matthew stepped onto the grass and walked among the concession stands and carnival games. _But she's not exactly giving me answers either._

Matthew stopped in front of a ripped tarp that was barely hanging on metal framing. The faded drawing on the tarp depicted a man holding a baseball bat. There was a red square in the center.

Matthew picked up a baseball from the ground and tossed it at the mat. _I wish she would tell me what she wants._

Matthew grabbed another ball and threw it. _I wish she knew what she wanted._

Matthew threw a third ball at the mat, this time it was much harder. _I wish I could tell her about my past without pushing her away._

Matthew threw a forth ball. The tarp ripped free and crumpled to the ground.

Matthew sighed in frustration and walked back to the carnival rides. He stopped next to a sport's themed dart game. Most of the clothing prizes were gone save for a few pieces of children's clothing.

Matthew thought for a moment. He reached up and grabbed two matching, jet black jersey shirts before grabbing a pair of scissors from his backpack.

A few minutes later, Matthew found Ellie sitting in one of the half-apple shaped Tilt-A-Whirl seats. The black padding on and around the seats were ripped and torn There was a small, rusty safety bar leaning toward the seats.

Matthew slid in next to Ellie.

Neither of them said a word.

Ellie sighed. "I'm sorry I snapped."

"You weren't wrong," Matthew admitted. He fidgeted with one of the ripped seats. "I know that I haven't told you who I'm looking for. It's hard because… well, it's connected to a past that I'm not proud of."

"You're not giving me anything new," Ellie said as she leaned forward and gripped the safety rail.

"I know," Matthew said with a small nod.

Ellie watched the sun sink lower in the sky. "When I was bitten, I was in a mall with… a friend of mine. We were just being dumb. We tried to ride the carousel. It shut off before she could get on."

"I've always wanted to try one of them," Matthew admitted.

Ellie leaned back and closed her eyes.

Matthew watched as emotion started seeping into the young woman's features.

Ellie let her hand drop. "Less than an hour later, we were bitten. She ended up dead. And I didn't."

Matthew glanced at the slide and then at the carousel.

They sat in silence, lost in their own thoughts. After a couple minutes, Matthew slowly reached into his back pocket and grabbed out two freshly cut black sleeves. Each sleeve contained two pieces of black cloth bound together by tape.

"Here," Matthew said, offering them to Ellie.

Ellie yawned. She grabbed the two sleeves and examined them. "What are these for?"

"It's getting hot out," Matthew replied. "I'd imagine you'll want to get out of the sweater."

Ellie rolled up a sleeve of her sweater and slipped the piece of cloth up her arm, covering her bite.

"Thanks," Ellie said, flexing her arm. She took off her sweater and threw it aside. "I hate wearing long sleeves in summer. Besides, I hear that Texas can be hot as hell this time of year."

"Oh yeah?" Matthew said, sitting back comfortably. "Who told you that?"

Ellie didn't answer. She yawned again.

Matthew found himself yawning as well. "We'll be in Austin tomorrow or the day after. There should be something resembling a zone there."

Ellie yawned again.

Matthew laughed. "You should try and rest. You look like crap."

"Give me a minute," Ellie said, sitting up. "Then I'll be good. We can still get a couple hours of walking in."

"I can," Matthew corrected. "You can't."

"Thanks a lot," Ellie said sarcastically. She leaned back. "Fine. But only for an hour."

Ellie closed her eyes and began to nod off. She slowly started to slide sideways, her head landing on Matthew's shoulder. Matthew looked over and briefly considered moving aside.

Matthew decided against it. _Let her sleep._ His eyes began to droop as well. He shook his head slightly. _Stay awake. She's too close. Stay awake._

Matthew conceded to resting his eyes. He supported his head on his left fist and rested his elbow on the safety bar so that he would wake up if it slid sideways. Matthew closed his eyes.

 _"Matt! I had to! He was going to kill me! Please don't be mad!"_

 _I had no pity left in me. My hands clenched into fists. "You killed them!" I shouted…_

 _I grabbed her and threw her across the room. Her head connected with the corner of a wooden table._

Matthew snapped his eyes open as his arm slid off the bar. He was breathing heavily. It was completely dark out. The only light was the shining moon.

Ellie sat up, rubbing her eyes. "Nightmare?" she asked sympathetically.

"Almost," Matthew said with a shudder.

Ellie grabbed his hand gently and used the moonlight to examine his palm. "You got cuts again. You should trim your nails."

"I'll do that," Matthew said as he rose to his feet. "We might as well stay here for the night. I'll be a few rides over."

Matthew quickly walked away before Ellie could argue. He sat down on a nearby bench a few rides away. _That was way too fucking close, Matthew. You can't have those nightmares near Ellie. You can't have them near anyone._

 ** _…_**

Joel awoke in the same clothes he'd been wearing since before he'd left Jackson. He looked around and saw that it was still dark. _Texas. Why did it have to be Texas? They should be in Austin tomorrow morning. I'm still miles away._

Joel grabbed Sarah's picture from his backpack. "C'mon, baby girl," he said. "Give me some help here. Let me find her today."

Joel put away the picture and began to walk. _Where would Ellie go? She's never even been to Texas. And who knows where this boy is taking her._ Joel let out a frustrated sigh. _Where would Ellie go?_

Joel froze and took out Sarah's picture again. In the image, Joel's hand was wrapped around Sarah's shoulder. His daughter made the 'peace sign' with one hand. In the other she held a soccer trophy.

Joel's mind flashed back to the soccer ball in Jackson. He slowly lowered the picture. "Ellie's going home."


	44. Chapter 44

Ellie and Matthew stood outside the makeshift Wall the Austin Quarantine Zone.

"You were right," Ellie said, looking at Matthew. "I guess when the Dallas Quarantine Zone went to shit last year, people just flocked here. Looks like they improvised with the Wall here."

Matthew answered with a grunt.

Ellie looked at the group of boarded up busses, military vehicles, semis, and furniture that made up the Wall. Unlike the Wall in Boston over three years ago, there were no soldiers patrolling its edges.

Ellie continued to listen to the soft voices beyond. "I hear people inside."

"Yeah," Matthew said quickly, speaking for the first time that day. He led her to a low section of the Wall. "C'mon, I'll give you a boost."

Ellie climbed onto the Wall a few seconds later and pulled Matthew up. Moments later, they jumped to the ground on the other side.

Matthew immediately moved forward without a word, ignoring the glances of people on the streets.

"You alright?" Ellie asked as she walked beside him.

"Let's just get this over with."

As they walked further into the city, Ellie began to examine her surroundings. The people milling about were mostly adults, although she spotted smaller figures hiding in the gaps between buildings.

The duo eventually moved into a larger market area where there were small stalls set up. Each stall sold different products including tools, weapons, drinks, and food. Customers were trading ration cards for their goods. There was an occasional burst noise as people angrily haggled over price.

"Military must have pulled out a while ago," Ellie observed. "They seemed to have kept _some_ civility, though."

Matthew said nothing.

Ellie let out a frustrated sigh. _I hate these silences._

An hour later, Ellie and Matthew found a small, makeshift bar across from a couple of stalls. Only a small overhead canopy covered the long table. The owner, a man with a greying beard and mustache wearing a dirty white t-shirt and blue jeans, stood with his back to them, straightening a bottle of water.

Ellie and Matthew sat down on two stools.

Ellie leaned close to Matthew. "Not much of a selection," she observed, eyeing a couple bottles of water and alcohol on the shelf behind the bar.

Matthew grunted again and loudly placed his backpack on the table to get the owner's attention.

The owner turned as Matthew pulled out three ration cards.

Ellie could see that Matthew still had a large supply in his backpack.

The owner reached for the cards.

Matthew covered the cards with his hand. "I need information first."

The owner nodded.

Matthew lowered his voice. "Brandon Traveler. He used to drive military buses between the zones. I heard he lived near here. You know him?"

"I might," the owner said gruffly, folding his arms. "For a few more ration cards."

Matthew threw another five cards on the table. "Give me a location," he demanded.

"He lives a few miles south outside the city," the owner said. He scooped up the ration cards. "You got a map?"

Matthew grabbed a map from his backpack and threw it on the table. The owner marked the location and gave Matthew a few specific directions.

Matthew folded up the map. "I'll be back for my ration cards if you're wrong."

Ellie gave Matthew a sharp look. _Was that a threat? From Matthew?_

Matthew pointed to the shelves behind him. "Give me two of those waters too," he said.

There was a loud commotion behind them. A large man with ragged grey hair, a dirty grey beard, and ripped black clothing emerged from an alley behind the nearby stall. The man was holding a bottle of alcohol.

There was a small child being dragged in the man's wake.

The child looked to be seven years old. He had brown hair, ripped grey pants, and a matching t-shirt. The boy also had a small silver bracelet on his right wrist.

The large man threw the child and a small spinning top to the ground. "You stupid little shit!"

The person running the stall; a raven-haired woman with large bruises on her arms and a black eye ran forward.

"What the hell are you doing?" the woman demanded, stepping between the man and the child. "That's our son!"

"I gave him ration cards to get me some damn food and he bought that stupid toy!" the large man shouted. He took a step forward.

"Harold," the woman said pleadingly as she took a step back. "Let him keep it. He has no toys."

The little boy got on his hands and knees and reached for the toy, seemingly attempting to ignore his arguing parents.

Ellie now saw that there were small bruises on the boy's arms. _That son of a—_

The little boy grabbed the spinning top and put it on the ground. He placed the object between his hands and twisted them, causing the top to spin in place.

The drunk man growled and threw the boy's mother aside. She hit the table hard and fell to the ground.

The man stood over his child. "You ungrateful little bastard!" he shouted. "Do you know what I do for you? Learn some damn respect!"

The drunk man backhanded the child.

The boy let out a small yelp and fell to the ground.

Ellie rose and ran across the street. "Hey—"

Matthew was faster.

Ellie hadn't even seen him leave his seat.

The drunk man raised his hand again.

Matthew grabbed the man's wrist and held it firmly in place. "Don't touch the kid again," he said quietly.

The mother laid on the ground watching the exchange in shocked silence.

Ellie stared at Matthew. _I don't like that look._

Matthew's eyes flicked to Ellie briefly.

Ellie nodded and knelt next to the whimpering child. "Hi," she said gently. "I'm Ellie. What's your name?"

"My… my name's… Patrick," the boy said through tears.

Ellie looked at Matthew.

The young man hadn't broken eye contact with the boy's father. He still held the man's wrist tightly in place.

Ellie stared at them for a moment. _This is going to be bad._ She returned her attention to the boy. "Well, Patrick, that's a cool toy," she said lightly. "How about you show me how it works."

Ellie handed the toy to the child and escorted him into the alley behind the stall before turning him away from the confrontation.

Ellie knelt in front of the boy and looked at his wrist. "That's a beautiful bracelet," she commented.

Ellie looked over the boy's shoulder at the mother, who was slowly getting to her feet, and then back at Matthew.

Matthew finally let go of the drunk man's arm. "Enough," he growled. "Walk away. Or you will regret it."

The large man took a swing at Matthew. Matthew blocked the punch, grabbed the man by his ragged clothing, and kicked his legs out from under him.

Ellie watched in shock as Matthew hauled the large man up and slammed him hard into the stall table. The contents loudly scattered on the ground. Matthew drew back a fist and sent it into the man's face, splitting his lip open.

The drunk man lay on the table, wheezing. The entire street was silent. The only sound was the large man trying to gather suddenly lost oxygen.

Matthew turned away. "When you get your breath back, apologize to your kid."

The man rose slightly. He broke his empty alcohol bottle on the table beside him and lunged at Matthew.

Matthew quickly grabbed his crossbow and smashed the bottle with the stock of his weapon. The bottle shattered in the man's hand, cutting it open. Matthew flipped his crossbow and aimed an arrow at the man's groin.

The large man froze in place.

"If you ever touch the kid again," Matthew said through gritted teeth. "I will put an arrow through your fucking balls. Am I understood?"

The man simply nodded.

Matthew took a step back and looked at the mother for the first time. "You should think about removing yourself and your son from this situation," he said flatly.

The mother stood and cradled her son as he returned to her.

Ellie rose and stood next to Matthew.

When the mother looked up, all Ellie saw was anger.

Matthew's guarded expression didn't change.

"I can't afford to move to the other side of the zone!" the mother snapped. "There's not enough ration cards to survive! And because of you, the beating will only be worse when he recovers! Every time someone tries to help, it gets worse!"

Ellie took a step forward and held out a hand, unsure of what to say.

The mother grabbed her child and moved behind the table. "Get away from us!"

Matthew clipped his crossbow to his belt and walked away.

"Matthew!" Ellie called, shocked.

Matthew kept walking.

Ellie started after him.

When they entered an unused alley, Ellie stood in front of Matthew, stopping him with a hand on his chest. "What the hell was that, Matthew?"

"What was what?" Matthew grumbled. He attempted to walk around her.

Ellie stepped in front of him again. " _That_ , back there!" she snapped, pointing to the street.

"You would have done the same damn thing, Ellie," Matthew retorted.

"Yeah," Ellie said, glancing at the street. " _I_ would have put that man on the ground. But… I've never seen you go that far. That's not you."

"Maybe you don't know me," Matthew challenged, taking a step toward her.

"And then you just walked away," Ellie said, shaking her head. She lowered her voice. "I saw the ration cards in your backpack. We both know that you could have helped that woman _and_ her child."

"I'm not going to get into this with you, Ellie," Matthew said irritably. He attempted to move around her again.

Ellie shoved Matthew into the wall. "You gave Timmy and Clarisse a truck! This isn't any different! So what the fuck changed?"

"That was different," Matthew said, averting his eyes.

Ellie didn't back down. "Why? How?"

Matthew tried to walk past her but was blocked again by Ellie's outstretched arm.

Ellie glared at him again.

Matthew grabbed her arm and tugged it down. "Nothing would have changed!" he said, his voice growing louder. "How long do you think it would take that man to find them? A _week_? _Maybe_ a month? It's just best to leave it alone!"

Ellie grabbed a strap of Matthew's backpack and pulled him closer. "You can still do the right thing here, Matthew!"

"It's not my problem," Matthew said quietly.

Ellie let go of the strap and took a step back, hurt and shocked.

"It's not _our_ problem," Matthew said firmly, looking her in the eye.

Ellie lowered her gaze and shook her head. "Shame on you," she whispered.

Ellie turned and led the way out of the alley.

They exited the zone in silence, heading toward the spot on Matthew's map. Eventually, they stopped next to a large, grassy field.

Ellie finally broke the long silence. She asked the question that had been rattling in her mind the entire day. "Why aren't you excited?"

Matthew turned to her. "Excuse me?"

"Why aren't you excited," Ellie repeated. "I would think you would be a little happier that you're close to finding… whoever you're looking for."

"I know she's not here," Matthew said, keeping his tone even.

Ellie still had no idea who 'she' was.

Matthew clenched and unclenched his fist. "This man knows where she went next. What would you know about this kind of thing anyway?"

Ellie stopped and raised her voice. "First of all, knock off the fucking attitude! Second…" Ellie touched the black sleeve covering her bite. "…I know plenty, so don't act like—"

"What the hell are you looking for, Ellie?" Matthew snapped, turning to her. He raised his voice. "You've been following me for months! You don't know who _I_ am! I have almost no clue who _you_ are! So why the hell are you still here?"

"I'm trying to help you," Ellie retorted. We're both in the same boat—"

"Bullshit!" Matthew interrupted. "The big difference between us is that I know what I'm looking for! So, what are you after, Ellie?"

Ellie firmly planted her feet, refusing to back down.

Matthew continued his assault. "When I met you, you had just left what sounds like the safest place in the world! Yet, somehow, it wasn't good enough for you! So, what do you want? What are you—"

"I don't know!" Ellie said, putting her hands in the air. "Alright? I. Don't. Know."

"Well, until you do," Matthew said, lowering his voice and turning away. "I'm going to do this alone."

Ellie spun him around by the shoulder. "So, what? You're just going to leave? After what we've been through, you're just gonna go?" she asked, clenching her fists. "If you felt this way, if you don't want me here, why haven't you left? Why keep me around?"

"Don't avoid your own issues by questioning mine!" Matthew retorted.

Ellie shoved him and turned away. "Whatever," she muttered.

Matthew let out a breath and turned away as well.

Ellie walked a few steps away. _I thought I was done with this shit. I haven't had to deal with this… since Joel tried to leave… since I left Joel._

Matthew finally spoke, startling her out of her memories. "Look," he said, making obvious effort to calm himself. "I'll be back in a few hours. Then we can find a place to stay for the night."

Ellie nodded but didn't answer.

Matthew turned and started to walk away.

"Wait," Ellie said. She took a deep breath. "I know a place we can go. A friend of mine used to live here in Austin."

Ellie marked the approximate location on Matthew's map.

Matthew folded up the map and walked in the other direction. "I'll see you later," he said.

Ellie watched him leave before she turned away herself. "Right," she said in frustration.


	45. Chapter 45

Ellie was so deep in her thoughts that she almost missed the 'T' in the road. She looked at the three signs in front of her and read the faded letters. _Okay, Austin is back the way I came. I keep going if I want to go to San Marcos. No thanks._

Ellie turned right and began to walk down the road, ignoring the wreckage of inoperable cars. She passed a farm that had been burnt to the ground. Ellie stopped for a moment and briefly wondered what it had looked like before it had been burnt down.

 ** _…_**

Matthew walked into the ghost town. He tried to regain control of his anger before continuing down the street. _Okay, turn right at the Armadillo Theater. Where the hell is that?_

Matthew walked around a fire truck that was protruding from the edge of a building. _Okay, there's the theater. And… there's the Pistol Cantina…_

Matthew made his way around the building and entered through the front door. "Hello?"

"Who the hell are you?"

Matthew tuned toward the voice and saw Traveler seated on a bar stool. The old man had long, unkempt grey hair, a grey beard, and faded military garbs. He held a bottle of alcohol in his hand.

"I want information," Matthew said, walking toward the old man. "And I'm not in a great mood today. So if you give me what I want, we can avoid drama and you'll never see me again."

The old man laughed. "Whatever," he spat, ignoring Matthew.

Traveler stood and steadied himself on the stool. Matthew walked forward, grabbed the bottle of alcohol from Traveler's hand, and threw it up against the wall.

Traveler glared at Matthew as the alcohol spilled to the ground. "What's in it for me?" the old man growled.

Traveler found himself thrown out the back door of the bar and into an umbrella covered table. The umbrella snapped in half and the old man hit the patio floor. Matthew walked forward, grabbed Traveler again, and threw him off the patio and onto the gravel.

The old man staggered to his feet.

"Do you really want to fuck with me right now?" Matthew asked, his hands balled into fists.

Traveler held up a hand. "Okay! Okay! Stop, you animal! What do you want?"

Matthew forced himself to uncurl his fists. He stood over the man. "You used to drive the buses that transported children to the Military Preparatory School's. About twelve years ago, the zones began to fall apart and the buses had to start going longer distances. I want to know which zone the bus from the Billings Quarantine Zone in Montana went to. I know you were the driver."

Traveler coughed and leaned up against a nearby table for support.

"I also know that Milwaukee and Illinois were overpopulated because of Canadian refugees," Matthew continued, "The only time that Quarantine Zones used buses to go north or south was when they were near the oceans. That means you went east or west. So what Quarantine Zone did you bring the bus in Montana to?"

Traveler continued to glare at Matthew.

Matthew curled his left hand into a fist again and took a step forward.

"Boston!" Traveler snapped, taking a step back. "It went to Boston! Just get the hell out of here!"

Matthew grabbed the man's shirt. "Are you lying?" he growled.

"Why would I?"

Matthew took a deep breath. He released Traveler before reaching into his backpack and throwing the man a few ration cards.

Traveler greedily gathered the cards in his hands.

Matthew walked away without a word. He exited the bar, walking by an overturned ambulance. He didn't break stride as he walked up a hill and onto an abandoned highway.

 ** _…_**

Ellie stopped, finally reaching her destination.

The house was rusted with peeling paint. Even in the moonlight, the color of twenty years before was all but unrecognizable. There was a metal star hanging beside the front door. A few broken chairs and a table lay on the deck. The large picture window was shattered.

Ellie looked away for a moment. _I shouldn't be here._

Ellie reached for the doorknob, once again missing Joel and wondering what his life had been before he met her. As she touched the doorknob, an image of Sarah dressed in her soccer outfit flashed into her mind.

Ellie let go of the doorknob and opted to sit on the hanging seat beside the door. A few seconds later, she rose and started to pace. _I'm **not** going in there._

 ** _…_**

Matthew quickly walked out of the small town. He took a moment to allow his anger to dissipate. _Boston… Shit. How the hell am I going to do this?_ His thoughts soon turned to Ellie. _It's going to be dangerous. Can I keep her safe?_

Matthew stopped for a moment and took a calming breath. _Will she even want to go with me? Why did I have to be such an asshole earlier?_

Matthew glanced at his map and began to walk through the grass covered fields toward Ellie's suggested safehouse. He kicked aside a large stick. _The worst thing is she's right. I **chose** not to be a good person back there. The boy… I **chose** not to help._

Matthew stopped for a moment. With a sigh, he tuned back toward the Quarantine Zone.

 ** _…_**

Ellie slowly opened the door and walked inside, finding herself in a large open room.

The walls were bare. There were a few scraps of paper lying on the ground. Beside Ellie was an overturned table. There were remains of a broken white vase intermixed with a shattered green lamp on the ground a few feet away.

A rotting, splintering staircase led upstairs. The rest of the first story looked like many of the other houses that Ellie had seen outside of Jackson.

Wreckage and junk were intermixed all over the ground among overturned tables, empty shelves, and cupboards that had long since been searched and emptied. The only piece of furniture left standing was a leather chair and couch.

Ellie sat down on the couch for a moment and bounced up and down, emitting a loud creak. She looked past the dirty rug at the broken television. _I still don't get how people could just sit and watch T.V. and not do anything._

Ellie stood again and gently moved aside a broken chair next to the cracked dining table. She briefly glanced at the kitchen. The counters and cupboards that wrapped around the room had all been broken into and emptied. Broken dishes were strewn all over the floor, making the kitchen difficult to navigate.

There were unwashed dishes in the sink. An old note with faded lettering was still stuck on the fridge. Ellie couldn't make out the entire note, but she could tell it was instructions to Sarah.

Ellie thought of the house in Jackson County. _Kinda looks like our…_

Ellie shook her and turned away. She walked past the dirty, vine covered glass door that led into the backyard. She pushed open two doors containing individual square windows into a room that resembled an old office.

Across from her was a desk that once held a computer. The rest of the room looked similar to the living room. It held a few pieces of broken and rusted furniture. The shelves were cleared out. Books and other debris littered the carpet.

There was another door leading outside. Ellie stopped and looked down at the floor. There was a large bloodstain on the carpet. There was no sign of the source. Ellie examined the floor and found a dusty, discarded shell casing.

Ellie raised her eyes to the completely shattered sliding glass door that led outside.

Ellie shook her head again and turned away. She ascended the stairs and walked through a large hallway. Like the first story, the floors were completely covered in carpeting. _At least this is clean…ish._

Aside from a few pictures on the ground, the hall was empty. There were windows at either end.

Ellie walked into the room in front of her. There was a large bed on the left wall with small, empty tables on either side. Beyond was an exercise machine. An old guitar laid in the corner. _This must have been Joel's room._

Ellie left the room as quickly as she could. She crossed the hall and turned the corner. There was a partially open door across from her. Beyond was a very messy and dirty room.

Ellie froze in the doorway. _That must have been Sarah's room._

Ellie slowly moved forward and sat down outside the door. _I'm not doing this… I'm not doing this…_

 ** _…_**

Matthew returned to the stall where he had confronted the drunk man.

The man's wife was just packing up for the night. Her son was playing off to the side with his toy top.

Matthew gulped and moved forward. "Are you still open?" he asked cautiously.

"Not to you," the mother snapped. She placed a few scraps of food into an old, ripped garbage bag before looking at her child who was now watching with interest. The mother looked at Matthew and shook her head. "It was a bad day for selling. I can't turn down the business. Buy what you need and leave."

Matthew walked forward and opened up his backpack. "I'll take five pounds of deer meat, two ears of corn, and two of those candles."

"Twenty ration cards."

Matthew nodded and pulled out the cards, handing them to the woman.

The mother counted the cards.

Matthew glanced around the street. "Where's your husband?" he asked.

"Home. Drinking. Sleeping," the mother answered bitterly as she stuffed the ration cards into the garbage bag. "He doesn't want to leave his alcohol for too long."

"Mommy," the little boy said, tugging on her sleeve. "I don't want to go home. What if dad is still mad? I don't want to be hurt again."

The mother gave her son a comforting hug and continued to pack the garbage bag.

Matthew reached into his backpack, took out all the ration cards that he had left, and placed them on the stall.

The mother gave the cards a confused look.

The mother and her son watched in complete shock as Matthew grabbed his purchases and started to place them in his backpack.

When Matthew finished, he looked at the mother and her child. "Get your son to the other side of the zone," he said as he pushed the ration cards toward her. "Just go. Now. Before your husband wakes up."

"This!" the mother exclaimed. "This is more than I earn in two months!"

"Do you…" Matthew hesitated. "Do you need help getting your home cleared out?"

"That's all I have," the mother said, motioning to the bag. She grabbed her son and hugged him tightly as tears of happiness welled in her eyes. "This is all I need."

The little boy looked up at his mother. "What's going on, mommy?"

The mother held the boy at arm's length. "This young man is helping us move. We're going on a little trip. We're going away from here."

. "You mean…" the boy's eyes lit up. "No more getting hurt?"

"No more getting hurt," the mother confirmed. "Grab your jacket. I have to finish cleaning before we can go."

The boy walked into the alley behind the stall.

The mother turned to Matthew. "Thank you," she said, clasping her hands together. "Thank you so much."

Matthew looked down, unable to meet her eyes. "Good luck," he said, turning around.

The owner of the bar was staring at them.

Matthew walked across the street. He looked the man in the eye. "If her husband asks—"

The owner held up a hand. "I've watched that man beat his wife and kid for years. And I've done nothing. Tonight…" He extended his hand. "I didn't see anything."

Matthew shook the man's hand and returned to the mother who had just finished packing.

The mother looked at Matthew and gave him a small smile and a nod of thanks.

The little boy, having returned with a torn blue jacket, tugged on his mother's arm. She bent down and he whispered in her ear.

The mother nodded and the child turned to Matthew.

Matthew knelt as the child walked toward him.

The child pulled off his silver bracelet that held three purple beads. "My mommy gave me this for good luck. She says good things happen with time and luck," he explained as he held the bracelet out to Matthew. "I think you need good luck. You should have it."

Matthew smiled and took the bracelet, placing it over his left wrist. "Thank you. Be good to your mom, okay?"

The boy nodded. "Okay. Bye!"

Matthew stood as the boy ran to his mother. He watched until they disappeared from sight before turning toward the edge of the zone.

 ** _…_**

Ellie walked into Sarah's room.

The shelves and drawers were pulled out and empty. The floor was covered in clothes, wreckage, discarded electronics, and discs. The table next to the large bed was overturned. The closet door was wide open.

Ellie glanced up and saw plastic stars on the ceiling. She immediately looked at the floor as images of her old room in Jackson came rushing in. She walked around the bed and examined a few of the posters that were still attached to the wall.

Ellie could make out a Dawn of the Wolf poster next to a large poster for Halican Drops. She turned away and picked up an old card from the dresser, disregarding it without a thought and dropping it on the ground.

Ellie turned again and saw a soccer poster. On the ground below it was another guitar case. _Wow, she and I…_ Ellie didn't allow herself to complete the thought.

Ellie suddenly felt sick and very sad. _What it must have been like for him… What it must have been like for him to just… leave this all behind. To leave **her** behind. No wonder he rarely talked about her._

Ellie sat down on a deflating bean bag chair beside the bed. "Ouch. Shit."

Ellie stood up and started to probe the bean bag chair with her hands. She could trace a hard box. Looking around without really understanding why, Ellie took out her knife and hesitated. Then she cut the bean bag chair open.

Ellie put her hand inside and grabbed out the box. Its casing was covered entirely in faded giraffes. She squinted to see the words on the lid that were written in black marker.

 **My Secret Stash (Well, allowance, but who needs to be technical?)**

Everything in the box had remained untouched by the world's end. Ellie moved aside coins and some money bills. Below it all was a small folded note.

Ellie grabbed the note with a shaking hand and unfolded it.

Like the rest of the box's contents, it was unchanged by time.

 **Okay, bought dad's watch. I nearly cleared out my secret stash. I hope he likes this. I think I tortured him last month when I asked him to take me to see that new wolf movie. Well, here's to big pops.**

 **P.S. to me,**

 **Save up for tickets to Pelican Drops (and find a way to convince dad to let me go… or come with me)**

Ellie put the note back. She felt tears streaming down her face. As she reached up and wiped the tears away, Ellie realized that she truly missed Joel.

Only Joel.

In an effort to calm herself, Ellie quickly replaced her sadness with anger. It only resulted in her remembering how exhausted she really was.

Ellie finally settled for resting in the bathtub located in the bathroom down the hall from Sarah's room. She set her bow and an arrow beside her before pulling out her guitar, playing as long as she could before her emotions got the better of her.

Ellie's mind held three thoughts.

 _What if Matthew doesn't come back?_

 _What if nobody ever comes back?_

 _I don't want to be alone again._

Ellie set aside her guitar and rested her bow and arrow across her chest. She closed her eyes.

 ** _…_**

Joel approached the owner of a small bar in the Austin Quarantine Zone. He ignored a drunk man with a split lip who was staggering along the sidewalk.

"Where'd that bitches go?" the man was saying. "Where ish the kid?"

Joel leaned forward and cleared his throat to get the bar owner's attention. "I'm looking for someone. A teenage girl. She has long red hair and wears it in a ponytail. She's traveling with a boy. You seen 'em"

"Maybe," the owner said, folding his arms. "Maybe not."

Joel shook his head in frustration and pulled out his gun. The bar owner reached under the bar for an unseen object. Joel ejected the clip from his pistol and showed it to the man.

"Fully loaded," Joel said calmly. "You want the clip, give me the information."

The bar owner relaxed, placing his hand on top of the bar. "She came through here earlier today. She looked healthy and like nobody should mess with her," the old man said with hint of admiration. He grabbed the clip from Joel's hand. "I don't know where she was going."

Joel turned away.

"Don't you want to know about the boy?" the bar owner inquired.

"Is he a threat?" Joel asked, keeping his back turned.

"Not to her."

Joel started walking. "Thanks for the info."


	46. Chapter 46

Ellie was so deep in her thoughts that she almost missed the 'T' in the road. She looked at the three signs in front of her and read the faded letters. _Okay, Austin is back the way I came. I keep going if I want to go to San Marcos. No thanks._

Ellie turned right and began to walk down the road, ignoring the wreckage of inoperable cars. She passed a farm that had been burnt to the ground. Ellie stopped for a moment and briefly wondered what it had looked like before it had been burnt down.

 ** _…_**

Matthew walked into the ghost town. He tried to regain control of his anger before continuing down the street. _Okay, turn right at the Armadillo Theater. Where the hell is that?_

Matthew walked around a fire truck that was protruding from the edge of a building. _Okay, there's the theater. And… there's the Pistol Cantina…_

Matthew made his way around the building and entered through the front door. "Hello?"

"Who the hell are you?"

Matthew tuned toward the voice and saw Traveler seated on a bar stool. The old man had long, unkempt grey hair, a grey beard, and faded military garbs. He held a bottle of alcohol in his hand.

"I want information," Matthew said, walking toward the old man. "And I'm not in a great mood today. So if you give me what I want, we can avoid drama and you'll never see me again."

The old man laughed. "Whatever," he spat, ignoring Matthew.

Traveler stood and steadied himself on the stool. Matthew walked forward, grabbed the bottle of alcohol from Traveler's hand, and threw it up against the wall.

Traveler glared at Matthew as the alcohol spilled to the ground. "What's in it for me?" the old man growled.

Traveler found himself thrown out the back door of the bar and into an umbrella covered table. The umbrella snapped in half and the old man hit the patio floor. Matthew walked forward, grabbed Traveler again, and threw him off the patio and onto the gravel.

The old man staggered to his feet.

"Do you really want to fuck with me right now?" Matthew asked, his hands balled into fists.

Traveler held up a hand. "Okay! Okay! Stop, you animal! What do you want?"

Matthew forced himself to uncurl his fists. He stood over the man. "You used to drive the buses that transported children to the Military Preparatory School's. About twelve years ago, the zones began to fall apart and the buses had to start going longer distances. I want to know which zone the bus from the Billings Quarantine Zone in Montana went to. I know you were the driver."

Traveler coughed and leaned up against a nearby table for support.

"I also know that Milwaukee and Illinois were overpopulated because of Canadian refugees," Matthew continued, "The only time that Quarantine Zones used buses to go north or south was when they were near the oceans. That means you went east or west. So what Quarantine Zone did you bring the bus in Montana to?"

Traveler continued to glare at Matthew.

Matthew curled his left hand into a fist again and took a step forward.

"Boston!" Traveler snapped, taking a step back. "It went to Boston! Just get the hell out of here!"

Matthew grabbed the man's shirt. "Are you lying?" he growled.

"Why would I?"

Matthew took a deep breath. He released Traveler before reaching into his backpack and throwing the man a few ration cards.

Traveler greedily gathered the cards in his hands.

Matthew walked away without a word. He exited the bar, walking by an overturned ambulance. He didn't break stride as he walked up a hill and onto an abandoned highway.

 ** _…_**

Ellie stopped, finally reaching her destination.

The house was rusted with peeling paint. Even in the moonlight, the color of twenty years before was all but unrecognizable. There was a metal star hanging beside the front door. A few broken chairs and a table lay on the deck. The large picture window was shattered.

Ellie looked away for a moment. _I shouldn't be here._

Ellie reached for the doorknob, once again missing Joel and wondering what his life had been before he met her. As she touched the doorknob, an image of Sarah dressed in her soccer outfit flashed into her mind.

Ellie let go of the doorknob and opted to sit on the hanging seat beside the door. A few seconds later, she rose and started to pace. _I'm **not** going in there._

 ** _…_**

Matthew quickly walked out of the small town. He took a moment to allow his anger to dissipate. _Boston… Shit. How the hell am I going to do this?_ His thoughts soon turned to Ellie. _It's going to be dangerous. Can I keep her safe?_

Matthew stopped for a moment and took a calming breath. _Will she even want to go with me? Why did I have to be such an asshole earlier?_

Matthew glanced at his map and began to walk through the grass covered fields toward Ellie's suggested safehouse. He kicked aside a large stick. _The worst thing is she's right. I **chose** not to be a good person back there. The boy… I **chose** not to help._

Matthew stopped for a moment. With a sigh, he tuned back toward the Quarantine Zone.

 ** _…_**

Ellie slowly opened the door and walked inside, finding herself in a large open room.

The walls were bare. There were a few scraps of paper lying on the ground. Beside Ellie was an overturned table. There were remains of a broken white vase intermixed with a shattered green lamp on the ground a few feet away.

A rotting, splintering staircase led upstairs. The rest of the first story looked like many of the other houses that Ellie had seen outside of Jackson.

Wreckage and junk were intermixed all over the ground among overturned tables, empty shelves, and cupboards that had long since been searched and emptied. The only piece of furniture left standing was a leather chair and couch.

Ellie sat down on the couch for a moment and bounced up and down, emitting a loud creak. She looked past the dirty rug at the broken television. _I still don't get how people could just sit and watch T.V. and not do anything._

Ellie stood again and gently moved aside a broken chair next to the cracked dining table. She briefly glanced at the kitchen. The counters and cupboards that wrapped around the room had all been broken into and emptied. Broken dishes were strewn all over the floor, making the kitchen difficult to navigate.

There were unwashed dishes in the sink. An old note with faded lettering was still stuck on the fridge. Ellie couldn't make out the entire note, but she could tell it was instructions to Sarah.

Ellie thought of the house in Jackson County. _Kinda looks like our…_

Ellie shook her and turned away. She walked past the dirty, vine covered glass door that led into the backyard. She pushed open two doors containing individual square windows into a room that resembled an old office.

Across from her was a desk that once held a computer. The rest of the room looked similar to the living room. It held a few pieces of broken and rusted furniture. The shelves were cleared out. Books and other debris littered the carpet.

There was another door leading outside. Ellie stopped and looked down at the floor. There was a large bloodstain on the carpet. There was no sign of the source. Ellie examined the floor and found a dusty, discarded shell casing.

Ellie raised her eyes to the completely shattered sliding glass door that led outside.

Ellie shook her head again and turned away. She ascended the stairs and walked through a large hallway. Like the first story, the floors were completely covered in carpeting. _At least this is clean…ish._

Aside from a few pictures on the ground, the hall was empty. There were windows at either end.

Ellie walked into the room in front of her. There was a large bed on the left wall with small, empty tables on either side. Beyond was an exercise machine. An old guitar laid in the corner. _This must have been Joel's room._

Ellie left the room as quickly as she could. She crossed the hall and turned the corner. There was a partially open door across from her. Beyond was a very messy and dirty room.

Ellie froze in the doorway. _That must have been Sarah's room._

Ellie slowly moved forward and sat down outside the door. _I'm not doing this… I'm not doing this…_

 ** _…_**

Matthew returned to the stall where he had confronted the drunk man.

The man's wife was just packing up for the night. Her son was playing off to the side with his toy top.

Matthew gulped and moved forward. "Are you still open?" he asked cautiously.

"Not to you," the mother snapped. She placed a few scraps of food into an old, ripped garbage bag before looking at her child who was now watching with interest. The mother looked at Matthew and shook her head. "It was a bad day for selling. I can't turn down the business. Buy what you need and leave."

Matthew walked forward and opened up his backpack. "I'll take five pounds of deer meat, two ears of corn, and two of those candles."

"Twenty ration cards."

Matthew nodded and pulled out the cards, handing them to the woman.

The mother counted the cards.

Matthew glanced around the street. "Where's your husband?" he asked.

"Home. Drinking. Sleeping," the mother answered bitterly as she stuffed the ration cards into the garbage bag. "He doesn't want to leave his alcohol for too long."

"Mommy," the little boy said, tugging on her sleeve. "I don't want to go home. What if dad is still mad? I don't want to be hurt again."

The mother gave her son a comforting hug and continued to pack the garbage bag.

Matthew reached into his backpack, took out all the ration cards that he had left, and placed them on the stall.

The mother gave the cards a confused look.

The mother and her son watched in complete shock as Matthew grabbed his purchases and started to place them in his backpack.

When Matthew finished, he looked at the mother and her child. "Get your son to the other side of the zone," he said as he pushed the ration cards toward her. "Just go. Now. Before your husband wakes up."

"This!" the mother exclaimed. "This is more than I earn in two months!"

"Do you…" Matthew hesitated. "Do you need help getting your home cleared out?"

"That's all I have," the mother said, motioning to the bag. She grabbed her son and hugged him tightly as tears of happiness welled in her eyes. "This is all I need."

The little boy looked up at his mother. "What's going on, mommy?"

The mother held the boy at arm's length. "This young man is helping us move. We're going on a little trip. We're going away from here."

. "You mean…" the boy's eyes lit up. "No more getting hurt?"

"No more getting hurt," the mother confirmed. "Grab your jacket. I have to finish cleaning before we can go."

The boy walked into the alley behind the stall.

The mother turned to Matthew. "Thank you," she said, clasping her hands together. "Thank you so much."

Matthew looked down, unable to meet her eyes. "Good luck," he said, turning around.

The owner of the bar was staring at them.

Matthew walked across the street. He looked the man in the eye. "If her husband asks—"

The owner held up a hand. "I've watched that man beat his wife and kid for years. And I've done nothing. Tonight…" He extended his hand. "I didn't see anything."

Matthew shook the man's hand and returned to the mother who had just finished packing.

The mother looked at Matthew and gave him a small smile and a nod of thanks.

The little boy, having returned with a torn blue jacket, tugged on his mother's arm. She bent down and he whispered in her ear.

The mother nodded and the child turned to Matthew.

Matthew knelt as the child walked toward him.

The child pulled off his silver bracelet that held three purple beads. "My mommy gave me this for good luck. She says good things happen with time and luck," he explained as he held the bracelet out to Matthew. "I think you need good luck. You should have it."

Matthew smiled and took the bracelet, placing it over his left wrist. "Thank you. Be good to your mom, okay?"

The boy nodded. "Okay. Bye!"

Matthew stood as the boy ran to his mother. He watched until they disappeared from sight before turning toward the edge of the zone.

 ** _…_**

Ellie walked into Sarah's room.

The shelves and drawers were pulled out and empty. The floor was covered in clothes, wreckage, discarded electronics, and discs. The table next to the large bed was overturned. The closet door was wide open.

Ellie glanced up and saw plastic stars on the ceiling. She immediately looked at the floor as images of her old room in Jackson came rushing in. She walked around the bed and examined a few of the posters that were still attached to the wall.

Ellie could make out a Dawn of the Wolf poster next to a large poster for Halican Drops. She turned away and picked up an old card from the dresser, disregarding it without a thought and dropping it on the ground.

Ellie turned again and saw a soccer poster. On the ground below it was another guitar case. _Wow, she and I…_ Ellie didn't allow herself to complete the thought.

Ellie suddenly felt sick and very sad. _What it must have been like for him… What it must have been like for him to just… leave this all behind. To leave **her** behind. No wonder he rarely talked about her._

Ellie sat down on a deflating bean bag chair beside the bed. "Ouch. Shit."

Ellie stood and started to probe the bean bag chair with her hands. She could trace a hard box. Looking around without really understanding why, Ellie took out her knife and hesitated. Then she cut the bean bag chair open.

Ellie put her hand inside and grabbed out the box. Its casing was covered entirely in faded giraffes. She squinted to see the words on the lid that were written in black marker.

 **My Secret Stash (Well, allowance, but who needs to be technical?)**

Everything in the box had remained untouched by the world's end. Ellie moved aside coins and some money bills. Below it all was a small folded note.

Ellie grabbed the note with a shaking hand and unfolded it.

Like the rest of the box's contents, it was unchanged by time.

 **Okay, bought dad's watch. I nearly cleared out my secret stash. I hope he likes this. I think I tortured him last month when I asked him to take me to see that new wolf movie. Well, here's to big pops.**

 **P.S. to me,**

 **Save up for tickets to Pelican Drops (and find a way to convince dad to let me go… or come with me)**

Ellie put the note back. She felt tears streaming down her face. As she reached up and wiped the tears away, Ellie realized that she truly missed Joel.

Only Joel.

In an effort to calm herself, Ellie quickly replaced her sadness with anger. It only resulted in her remembering how exhausted she really was.

Ellie finally settled for resting in the bathtub located in the bathroom down the hall from Sarah's room. She set her bow and an arrow beside her before pulling out her guitar, playing as long as she could before her emotions got the better of her.

Ellie's mind held three thoughts.

 _What if Matthew doesn't come back?_

 _What if nobody ever comes back?_

 _I don't want to be alone again._

Ellie set aside her guitar and rested her bow and arrow across her chest. She closed her eyes.

 ** _…_**

Joel approached the owner of a small bar in the Austin Quarantine Zone. He ignored a drunk man with a split lip who was staggering along the sidewalk.

"Where'd that bitches go?" the man was saying. "Where ish the kid?"

Joel leaned forward and cleared his throat to get the bar owner's attention. "I'm looking for someone. A teenage girl. She has long red hair and wears it in a ponytail. She's traveling with a boy. You seen 'em"

"Maybe," the owner said, folding his arms. "Maybe not."

Joel shook his head in frustration and pulled out his gun. The bar owner reached under the bar for an unseen object. Joel ejected the clip from his pistol and showed it to the man.

"Fully loaded," Joel said calmly. "You want the clip, give me the information."

The bar owner relaxed, placing his hand on top of the bar. "She came through here earlier today. She looked healthy and like nobody should mess with her," the old man said with hint of admiration. He grabbed the clip from Joel's hand. "I don't know where she was going."

Joel turned away.

"Don't you want to know about the boy?" the bar owner inquired.

"Is he a threat?" Joel asked, keeping his back turned.

"Not to her."

Joel started walking. "Thanks for the info."


	47. Chapter 47

Joel dropped his guitar as the teenagers on the couch quickly separated.

But not quickly enough.

Ellie drew her switchblade knife.

The young man next to her grabbed a custom-made crossbow that was currently pointed at Joel's chest.

A millisecond later, Ellie eyes flashed in recognition and she dropped her knife.

The young man saw this and lowered his crossbow.

They all began speaking simultaneously.

"Ellie?"

"Joel?"

"Who…" the young man started.

"Who the hell is this?" Joel demanded, pointing to the young man.

"What are you doing here, Joel?" Ellie asked, standing up.

"Is this your father?" the boy interrupted.

"No!" Ellie shouted.

The room finally fell silent.

Joel took a step back and looked at the young man. The boy seemed to be a couple years older than Ellie and he looked nervous.

"I need to speak to Ellie," Joel growled. "Leave."

Ellie grabbed the boy's arm. She never stopped glaring at Joel. "Matthew, you don't have to go."

"The hell he doesn't," Joel said, taking a step forward. "This is _my_ house!"

"Really, Joel?" Ellie asked, raising her voice. "Because it looks like you missed a few mortgage payments!"

"It's fine," the boy said firmly, standing up. "I'll scout outside."

Joel nodded gruffly.

The boy walked toward Joel. "Excuse me."

Joel shifted to the right, allowing the boy to walk out the door behind him.

 ** _…_**

Matthew stood outside, running ran a hand through his hair. _Well this is going to be interesting._

Matthew had started to pace when he heard voices.

It only took him a second to realize they weren't coming from inside the house.

Matthew grabbed a hair tie from his pocket and slowly put his hair up.

 ** _…_**

Joel waited until the door shut before looking at Ellie again. She was sitting down on the couch and looking at the floor. At the moment, she seemed a lot smaller than she actually was.

"Do you have any idea what you put me through?" Joel asked quietly.

"I didn't ask you to come after me," Ellie retorted calmly, refusing to look at him.

"You thought that I wouldn't?"

"I don't know what to think anymore," Ellie said bitterly, finally looking him in the eye. She clenched her fists.

"You want to get into this now?" Joel asked, raising his voice slightly.

"Yeah, Joel," Ellie said. She stood, raising her own voice. "Yeah, let's get into this _now_! Let's start with, oh I don't know! How about starting with the fact that you killed any chance—"

"I saved your life! There was no guarantee—"

"It wasn't your choice to make!" Ellie shouted above him. "You weren't given the responsibility, Joel. _I_ was."

"Keep it down," Joel said, calming his voice again. "If you want to argue about this, that's fine. But remember where we are."

"Oh, I know _exactly_ where we are, Joel," Ellie said quietly. She took deep breath, retrieved her knife, and resumed speaking in a normal voice. "You know, I could have forgiven you for taking me away. It would have fucking hurt, but I could have done it. But you _lied_ to me. You _killed_ Marlene. You didn't even give me a _choice_."

Joel grunted and shook his head.

Ellie glared at the floor. "And now you're blaming everything on me."

Joel was about to question her when Matthew burst through the door, snatching up his crossbow.

"Sorry to interrupt, sir," the young man said passively. "But we have company."

Ellie immediately walked into the kitchen and grabbed her bow.

Matthew loaded an arrow.

Joel looked out the window for a brief second. "There's only four of them."

Matthew shook his head and held up six fingers.

Ellie grabbed an arrow and moved toward the broken patio door in the other room.

Joel looked out the window again, spotting a second man moving around the side of the house. He glanced down and grabbed a drawer from the ground.

Matthew leveled his crossbow.

Joel looked at Ellie and pointed at the patio door.

Ellie nodded and got ready.

Joel positioned himself on the side of the front door as Matthew moved to the other side of the office to cover Ellie.

 ** _…_**

The door opened and Matthew unleashed his arrow. The man hit the ground, an arrow embedded in his heart. Ellie quickly moved through the sliding door and fired her arrow. There was a loud scream and then silence.

 ** _…_**

The front door next to Joel slammed open. Joel smashed the drawer on the man's head before kneeing him in the face. The man fell outside the door.

Joel picked up the drawer and smashed it on the man's head one more time. The man went still as blood began spilling onto the ground.

In the other room, Matthew loaded another arrow.

Joel slowly made his way outside. He quickly turned aside as a branch swung at him. It connected with his shoulder and sent him to his knees. A large man loomed over him. The man raised the branch again.

Joel lunged forward and tackled him to the ground and placed his hands around the man's neck. He squeezed and didn't let go until the large man had stopped moving.

 ** _…_**

Ellie moved forward and hid behind a tree facing the house.

Another man came into view, facing the other way with his gun raised.

Ellie reached behind her for an arrow.

Her backpack was empty.

Ellie quickly set down her bow and grabbed her knife. She snuck up behind the man and jumped on his back, stabbing him repeatedly as the man spun around.

Ellie was slammed painfully into the side of the house. "Fuck!" she grunted as the man finally slumped to the ground.

Ellie was about to rise when she was grabbed from behind. She found herself pinned up against the side of the house. The man holding her slammed her knife hand into the house repeatedly, causing Ellie to drop the weapon.

The man drew back a fist and Ellie received a large cut on her cheek from the blow that followed. The man then wrapped his arm around her neck.

Matthew turned the corner and leveled his crossbow. "Hey!"

The man held Ellie tightly, placing her between himself and an arrow.

"Let her go," Matthew ordered, taking a step forward. "If you don't, there's only one ending to this."

Ellie rolled her eyes. "Matthew, shoot this asshole!"

"Shut up!" the man shouted, tightening his grip on Ellie's neck. She continued to struggle.

Suddenly, the pressure was no longer there.

Ellie fell to the ground and reached for her knife. She turned to see Joel attempting to choke the man from behind. Ellie quickly grabbed the knife and stabbed the man's knee.

The man let out a choked scream and fell backward, allowing Joel to tighten his grip. Joel twisted his arms and the man's neck snapped with a loud crack.

 ** _…_**

Matthew lowered his crossbow as Joel helped Ellie off the ground.

"You okay, kiddo?" the older man asked.

"Yeah," Ellie said with a cough, still attempting to catch her breath. "Yeah. I'm fine. You good?"

Joel nodded. "I'm good." He gently grabbed Ellie's cheek and examined it.

Matthew watched the exchange in interest. _There's obviously something still there._

Ellie looked over, realizing Matthew was watching and shook Joel off in annoyance. "I'm _fine_ , Joel."

Ellie turned away and walked toward Matthew.

"You okay?" Matthew asked.

"We're you ever going to shoot?" Ellie snapped.

Matthew shrugged, clipping his crossbow to his belt. "There was no shot."

Ellie looked at him, then glanced back at Joel. "Whatever," she said. She pushed past Matthew and walked into the house.

"I'll get these guys hidden," Matthew said, turning to Joel. He grabbed the nearest body and started to drag it away.

Joel stepped in front of him. "If you had shot, we would have had words," the older man said quietly. He walked back into his house.


	48. Chapter 48

Joel walked back into the house and looked around.

Memories, both good and bad, came flooding in. Joel turned to Ellie in an attempt to distract himself. She was standing in the middle of the room, feeling her cheek.

"It'll heal," Ellie said shortly as Joel moved to examine the cut again. She looked around. "Where's Matthew?"

Joel shook his head in annoyance. "Hiding the bodies," he replied.

For a moment, it seemed that Ellie was considering the idea of helping the boy. Instead, she shrugged and sat down on the couch again.

Joel turned and watched out the window as the boy grabbed another body. "So how did you meet him?"

Ellie grabbed a cloth out of her backpack. "He saved my life," she said, not looking at Joel as she grabbed a bottle of water. "I almost drowned in a river back in Wyoming."

"What the hell were you doing in a river?"

Ellie dropped the water bottle. Joel saw a small trace of guilt across her face. Ellie said nothing and retrieved the bottle, pouring a little water on the cloth. She held it to her cut cheek.

Joel glanced over and saw Matthew standing by the front door.

"You need something, boy?" Joel asked with a glare.

Off to the side, Ellie let out a breath of frustration.

"I'm going to take another look and make sure there aren't any more of them around," the boy replied, taking the hint. He exited the room again.

"He has a name, you know," Ellie said with a glare.

Joel sat down on the couch and reached for the cloth.

Ellie tugged it away. "I got it."

"Alright," Joel said, letting the attitude slide. "Did you search the house for supplies?"

"That was going to happen after dinner."

"After dinner. Right. Dinner and what?" Joel pressed. He placed his guitar against the couch, looking at her out of the corner of his eye.

Ellie didn't answer.

Joel decided to change the subject. "Since when did you start using homemade arrows?"

"Matthew taught me how," Ellie answered. She pointed outside, letting her attitude flow into her voice again. "Matthew. You know, the guy who you've been glaring at since you met him?"

Joel said nothing.

Ellie shook her head in annoyance and looked away. "You don't have any loose change for arrowheads, do you?"

Joel felt another pang of jealousy toward the boy and ignored the question. He rose and started moving through what was left of his house, searching for anything of value. Once again, he attempted to ignore the memories that he'd forgotten he had.

Joel stopped when he saw Sarah's room. He had been able to move through the rest of the house without giving into emotions that he had attempted to bury long ago. Joel walked into the room and froze. Recollections of Sarah took hold.

 _Setting up the television._

 _Folding clothes._

 _Taping posters on the wall._

 _Watching Sarah play soccer._

Joel moved forward, unaware of his actions. Before he knew it, he found himself standing over Sarah's bed. Joel ran a hand through his beard and looked down. There was old card on the floor that he didn't remember.

Joel grabbed the card and brushed it off. He could make out the shape of a cartoonish dinosaur with a party hat on its head. The inside flap of the card stated that he had yet to become a fossil and wished him happy birthday. Below was a faded but readable note from Sarah.

 ** _Dear Dad,_**

 ** _Let's see…_**

 ** _You're never around, you hate the music I'm into, you practically despise the movies I like, and yet somehow you still manage to be the best dad every year. How do you do that?_** ** _J_**

 ** _Happy Birthday Pops!_**

 ** _3_** ** _Sarah_**

Joel finished reading the note and brought a hand to his mouth as the tears started to stream down his face. He still clutched the card in one hand.

Joel wasn't sure how long he was sitting on Sarah's bed. He forced himself to take a few deep breaths and closed his eyes.

"What was it like?"

Joel opened his eyes and turned to see Ellie standing in the doorway. Joel wiped a tear away from his eye.

Ellie took a small step forward, a look of concern on her face. "What was it like, living here with…" her sentence fell short.

Joel clutched the card in his hand and forced himself to answer her question. "It… Honestly, it wasn't much different than living with you back in Jackson."

"Bet you it was cleaner," Ellie said lightly, moving to lean up against the wall beside the bed.

"Yeah, it was a little cleaner," Joel said it was a chuckle. "Though, it was hard to keep it that way with a kid running around."

Joel fell silent for a moment.

Ellie stared straight down.

Joel moved aside on the bed, leaving room for Ellie. "Are you are talking to me again?"

"We'll see how long it lasts," Ellie said, folding her arms. She stayed where she was. "So, what was the biggest mess you ever had to clean up?"

Joel looked around the room. His eyes rested on the beanbag chair next to the bed. "Oh, I think the biggest mess was right after Sarah's sixth birthday. I bought her a soccer ball. I had just lost my job. My wife… Well, I couldn't afford much."

Ellie unfolded her arms, seeming to relax.

Joel chuckled for a moment on the trivial problems he once had such as money. "Anyway, I played with Sarah for hours after her party ended. She didn't want to stop, but it was getting late. When we came inside, I told her that the ball could never be kicked in the house."

"Yeah," Ellie said with a laugh. She slid down the wall and sat. "That's like telling me I'm not allowed to swear."

"Well it was the middle of the night and I heard this crash," Joel said, setting the card gently on the bed beside him. "I ran in here and Sarah was gone. When I went downstairs, I saw that the kitchen window was broken and Sarah was sitting there holding the ball."

"What did you do?"

Joel ran his hands through his beard. "I threw the ball out the door, dragged her back to her room, and told her that I didn't want to see her for a while."

"Harsh," Ellie observed.

"Not one of my best parenting moments."

"What happened?" Ellie asked after a short silence.

"She uh, she ran," Joel said, looking at Ellie again. He pointed at the broken window in front of him. "She crawled right out that window the second I left the room. "I caught her running down the driveway with her ball. She was crying and… she was scared."

Joel looked at the ceiling for a moment. He had forgotten that it was coincidently identical to Ellie's room in Jackson.

Ellie remained silent and waited for him to continue, her face unreadable.

"I took Sarah and the ball inside and grabbed a marker," Joel said, locking eyes with Ellie. "I wrote our address on the ball and told her that as long as she had that ball, she would know where her home was."

"That all happened in one night?" Ellie asked skeptically.

"A lot can happen in one night."

"Yeah…" Ellie said, glancing downstairs at the sound of Matthew coming back into the house.

"You must have had some fun before I got here," Joel said flatly. He had noticed the scattered food, soda, and candles.

Ellie's face turned slightly red and she turned away.

Joel stood up. "So who's the boy?"

"He's my friend."

"Just a friend, huh," Joel said, making his disbelief obvious. He cared little for the boundaries he was crossing.

Ellie glared at him. "Piss off, Joel."

"Excuse me?" Joel grunted.

Ellie turned around and walked out, almost bumping into Matthew who had rounded the corner of the hallway.

"Anything?" Ellie asked.

"I saw a couple Infected down the street, but they won't be a problem if we keep it quiet," Matthew said. He addressed Joel. "What do you think?"

Ellie and Joel just stared at Matthew, not expecting the question.

Joel recovered quickly. "We should stay upstairs," he said.

Matthew nodded.

Joel continued. "Ellie, you can take Sarah's room. I'll take the hallway. Kid, you can take the room down the hall."

Matthew grabbed two books out of his backpack. "I'll take the front porch."

Joel didn't bother asking why. _The further away from Ellie, the better._ "Keep it quiet."

Matthew handed Ellie one of the books and kept the other for himself.

Joel moved to the hallway and sat down as the boy descended the stairs, leaning his head against the wall behind him. _How the hell am I going to get her home?_ Joel rested his eyes.

A short time later Joel felt unfamiliar footsteps coming down the hall. He snapped his eyes open and stood.

The young man stopped when he saw Joel.

They stood in silence for a few seconds.

"We haven't really been introduced," the boy said casually, extending his hand. "I'm Matthew."

Joel's eyes flicked to the hand. He glared at Matthew, who lowered the arm and took a small step back.

"Look, about the river…" the boy started.

"I don't have anything to say to you," Joel stated.

"Fair enough," the boy said with a small nod. He looked Joel in the eye. "Ellie was going after the guitar."

Joel glanced at Sarah's room.

Ellie had placed her guitar against the side of the bed. Her hand drifted over its strings.

Joel returned his gaze to Matthew, who moved to go around Joel.

Joel blocked his path. "Where are you going?" he growled.

"I was going to say goodnight to Ellie," Matthew replied without attitude or defiance.

Joel held his gaze for a moment.

The boy didn't look away, but he took a respectful step back.

Joel nodded and moved aside.

Matthew moved past him and entered the room.

Joel sat down and listened to the low, inaudible voice coming from the room. A few minutes later, the boy exited the room and walked past Joel.

The young man stopped before turning the corner. His hand rested against the wall.

Even as the boy spoke, he didn't turn to Joel. "You knew we were here. This is your house. You also knew we were in Austin."

Joel remained silent.

"Only two other people knew we were going this way," the young man said as he turned to Joel. "The boy and his sister? How were they doing?"

Joel hesitated in answering. _What is this boy looking for?_ "They were alive when I saw them," Joel answered crisply. "I sent them someplace safe."

The boy lowered his hand from the wall. "Good. Thank you."

The boy moved on without another word.

Joel glanced back at Sarah's room.

Ellie was still looking down the hall. She quickly looked away when she saw Joel staring.

Joel leaned his head against the wall again with a sigh. _That boy could be dangerous. It won't be easy to convince her to leave him._

Joel closed his eyes. But it was hours before sleep overtook him.


	49. Chapter 49

Matthew sat on the roof of the house, once again awoken by his recurring nightmares.

It was light, but the sun had not yet risen.

Matthew's crossbow rested across his lap. He heard something behind him and marked the page in his book. "Does your fa— friend know you're up here?" he asked without turning.

"How do you always know?" Ellie asked as she sat down next to him. "I barely made a sound that time."

"It's my superpower," Matthew replied, tapping his ear.

Ellie reached up and flicked his ear hard.

Matthew winced rubbed it with his hand. "Hey, you better be careful. I know where you're ticklish now."

Ellie smiled and looked down as the sun began to rise. "We should go soon," she said, her expression becoming guarded.

Matthew shook his head. "I wanted to make a few more arrows before we go. You're out and I'm close myself," he said, looking behind him at the house. "The last few arrows are almost done cooling. Your friend's probably awake by now. You should talk to him."

"Why?" Ellie asked in annoyance.

"Because," Matthew said, looking at her. "I can see the connection to him that you're determined to hide."

"Why is this any of your business?"

"I suppose it's not," Matthew said, shoving his book into his backpack. "But the fact that you're denying and avoiding the connection makes me curious. Avoiding a fight has never been your style, Ellie"

"Can we talk about something else now?

 ** _…_**

Joel awoke to laughter. _She's happy._

Joel shook his head, ridding himself of the first thought of the morning.

Ellie crawled in through Sarah's window. She saw Joel and her smile disappeared. "Hey," she said, looking away.

Joel heard Matthew moving around on the roof above him. He looked at Ellie, lowering his voice. "What were you doing?"

"Watching the sunrise," Ellie said defensively. She walked past Joel and moved down the stairs. "Like we always do."

Ellie placed her backpack on the counter and opened it, grabbing out a few spare bits of food. Seemingly out of reflex, she tossed a few jarred cherries to Joel.

"What's the boy doing," Joel asked.

Ellie threw a few cherries in her mouth, shoved the guitar into her backpack, and moved toward the door. "Making arrows. We're running out."

Joel ate a couple cherries. "Ellie, we need to talk—"

Ellie slammed the front door slammed shut behind her.

 ** _…_**

Matthew held the last arrow up to the light and placed it into his backpack.

Ellie walked toward him, her backpack already slung around her shoulder.

Joel walked a short distance behind her, carrying a similar guitar in his backpack.

"I'm ready," Ellie said as she stopped in behind Matthew. "Where are we headed?"

"You're not going anywhere," Joel interrupted. " _We_ are going back to Wyoming."

"Like hell," Ellie replied.

Joel grabbed Ellie's backpack and spun her around.

Ellie pushed his hand away and took another step back.

Matthew watched quietly as he put half of the arrows he'd made in his backpack, setting the rest aside for Ellie.

Joel lowered his voice. "We're leaving. We're going home. Where it's safe."

"I'm not going anywhere with you, Joel," Ellie said defiantly. She looked at Matthew and repeated her question. "Where are we going?

"I need to go to Boston," Matthew replied carefully.

"Boston?" Joel spat.

Ellie looked at the ground with an unreadable expression.

Joel gave Matthew a quick glare and turned to Ellie. "Ellie, you are not going anywhere near that place. You and I both know how dangerous it is and what kind of people live there."

Ellie ignored Joel and spoke to Matthew. "I know a way in. I've been there before," she said. Ellie turned back to Joel. "And by the way, I know _exactly_ what kind of people live in Boston."

"Dammit, Ellie, what's the matter with you?" Joel asked, stepping forward. "Jackson is safe. Do you know how many people hope for—"

Ellie grunted. "Great, the 'what other people would want' bullshit. I'm not leaving with you, Joel!" she said loudly, looking him in the eye. "I don't trust you."

Joel looked away and shook his head. "After everything we went through, you're just going to throw it all away?"

"I'm _walking_ away," Ellie corrected. "There's a difference. I'm done with lies."

Matthew's eyes flicked back and forth between them. He stood and put his backpack on, remaining silent.

"Fine," Joel said, putting his hands in the air. "What do you want to know? I've told you everything!"

Ellie shook her head in frustration. "The truth doesn't matter anymore, Joel! The point is that from the second we left Salt Lake City, you _lied_ to me!"

Joel didn't reply.

Ellie turned away. "And the worst part is that I knew it and I still went with you."

Joel let out a grunt of his own. "If that's the case, then you'd better check the mirror. I'm not the only one who's been lying," he said harshly. "Now, say goodbye to your friend. We're leaving."

Ellie swung around. "You remember what you always told me?" she asked, taking a step forward. "After every bad thing that has happened to us, you always told me to _move on_!"

"Yes," Joel said with a sigh. "We move on to survive."

Ellie looked him in the eye. "So move on, Joel."

The older man took a step back as if he had been shoved.

Ellie turned away again.

Matthew saw a small tear run down her face.

Everyone was silent for a moment.

Matthew clipped his crossbow to his belt. _Whatever happened is gutting them both._

 ** _…_**

Joel watched as Ellie started to walk away from him, moving to stand at the young man's side. _What do I say? What can I say? I can't lose her again._

Moments later, Joel received help from the most unlikely of sources.

"Come with us."

Joel and Ellie looked toward the young man who stood before them.

"What are you doing?" Ellie asked sharply.

The young man spoke directly to Joel. "Sir, you seem to know Boston as well as she does, if not better," he said before letting out a small chuckle. "Frankly, we could use all the help we can get. So come with us."

Ellie lowered her voice. "Matthew—"

"Ellie," the boy said as he held up a hand. He raised his voice and spoke firmly, never breaking eye contact with Joel. "If you don't like it, you can leave with him. I started this alone and I can finish it alone."

Ellie glared at the young man. There were a few seconds of tense silence before she let out a frustrated sigh and turned back to Joel. "You can come," she said. "But talk of going back to Jackson is off limits. Let's go."

Joel felt a small amount of relief course through him followed by suspicion. "I need to get something from the house," he said, temporarily setting aside his questions. "Then I'll get a plan together."

Ellie raised an eyebrow. "Why do you get to make the plans?"

"Because I'm here." Joel replied. He briefly made eye-contact with the young man before reentering the house.

 ** _…_**

Ellie turned and started walking as Joel moved back to the house. She stopped beside Matthew, staring straight ahead. "I know what you're doing."

"You don't know why," Matthew said, offering her a set of arrows.

"Enlighten me."

"It's better if you figure it out for yourself," Matthew replied.

Ellie turned as Joel exited the house holding a large jar under his elbow and two guitar cases.

Ellie shook her head and grabbed the arrows from Matthew's hand. She took a step closer to Matthew, keeping her voice quiet and even. "Matthew, don't ever pull rank on me like that again."

"Then don't make me."

 ** _…_**

Joel set down two guitar cases with handles and handed a brown tinted jar of quarters to Matthew. "That should give you enough arrowheads for a while," he told the boy.

Matthew uncapped the lid and began to fill the medium pocket in his backpack with the quarters. "Thank you, sir," he said as he zipped up the backpack and offered Joel the empty plug. "I appreciate it."

"I'm not doing this for you," Joel said, placing his backpack on the ground and tossing the jar aside. "Let's be clear on that."

Over Matthew's shoulder, Joel caught Ellie rolling her eyes.

Joel ignored her and grabbed a map. "We're not going north," he informed them, tracing his finger on the map. "We're going east. We'll make our way to the Mississippi River and follow the water up into Chicago. Then we stay along the great lakes."

"Keep the water on our sides," Ellie said with a nod.

"We're less likely to get ambushed as long as we stay away from cities and towns," Matthew added.

"Let's get going," Joel grunted, folding up the map.

After Joel and Ellie had placed their guitars in their new cases, they left the house behind.

Joel forced himself not to look back. Fearing that the memories would cripple him.

 ** _…_**

The trio walked in silence for the majority of the day.

Ellie soon found herself walking behind Joel. _Just like old times._ Ellie took a misstep and almost fell to the ground. "Shit."

"Are you alright," Joel said, pulling her upright.

"I'm fine, Joel."

Ellie quickened her pace and caught up to Matthew. She opened her mouth to say something.

Matthew put his hand up. "I'm not who you should be talking to."

"I don't need _him_ ," Ellie said firmly. "I don't… care."

Matthew laughed. "Wow. You actually managed to say that with a straight face," he said. The young man stopped walking and looked at her, speaking seriously. "You want to lie to me, that's fine. But don't lie to yourself. It'll only get you hurt."

Matthew continued walking, leaving Ellie standing there.

 ** _…_**

Joel finally caught up to Ellie as she rolled her eyes at the young man ahead of her.

They continued walking.

"That looked interesting," Joel said, sending a glare in the boy's direction. "Do you want me to beat him?"

"Yeah, you'd like that, wouldn't you?" Ellie spat. She sighed and dropped the sharpness in her voice. "No, Joel, you can't beat him up. I can do it myself."

"Alright. But I'm not taking my eyes off him."

"You can trust him," Ellie insisted. "He's never done anything to hurt me."

Joel glanced at Ellie's sleeve-covered arms. "When did he find out?" he asked.

Ellie shrugged. "The night I met him. Once I convinced him not to shoot me, we were fine. He never asks about it," she said in an attempt to stop Joel from questioning her further. Ellie raised her right hand showing Joel the piece of cloth covering her bite. "Still, it's nice having these. I hated wearing sweaters in summer."

Joel glanced at the young man walking ahead of them. "What's he after in Boston?"

"I don't know."

Joel stopped Ellie with a hand on her shoulder. "You don't know?" he asked.

"Whoever… whatever it is, it means a lot to him," Ellie said quietly. She started walking. "That's good enough for me."

"Is that what this is?" Joel pressed. He quickened his pace to match Ellie's. "You couldn't complete your own suicide mission, so you're helping him with his?"

Ellie stopped and put her hands on her hips. "So, what if that's what it is, Joel?"

Joel sighed in frustration. "Look, I don't regret what I did. But I—"

"What do you want me to say, Joel?" Ellie asked putting her hands in the air. "That I forgive you? Good luck. You _hurt_ me. You can't change that."

"I'm not sorry that I lied," Joel replied calmly. "I made my decision. I just… I don't want you to hate me."

Ellie's features softened for a moment and she opened her mouth to say something. "I…" she sighed. "It's just… hard being around you."

"I can't blame you for that," Joel admitted.

Ellie pulled her backpack closer to her shoulders. She quickened her pace, intending to put distance between herself and her emotions.

Joel nodded and let her go. _We have a long way to go._

Ellie suddenly stopped and walked back to him. She had a look of concern on her face. "When you were following me," she started with a hint of fear in her eyes. "Did you come across a boy and a little girl? She was blonde and about six years old."

Joel nodded. "Yes. She and her brother were putting gas in the truck. They were fine," he said.

Ellie relaxed and nodded, staring at the ground.

Joel looked at the younger man ahead of them. "Didn't he tell you? He asked about it last night."

Ellie smiled muttered something under her breath.

Joel looked at the bow around her shoulder. "You gave them the gun," he observed.

Ellie looked over in surprise. "What? Oh, the gun. Yeah… I did."

Joel gave her a small smile and looked away.

"What?" Ellie asked, confused. "It was just a gun."

"I seem to remember a time when all you wanted was a gun."

"I didn't need it," Ellie said, tapping her bow. "And before you ask, no. I didn't need the robot either."

 ** _…_**

As the sun set and the moon rose, they found themselves in a field of windmills. There was flat terrain all around them.

Joel sat down. "This'll work. We're going to have to go without a fire tonight. It'll be too easy to spot. Not that we'll really need it."

Matthew sat down as well and pulled two half eaten bags of chips out of his backpack, tossing them to Joel and Ellie.

Joel caught a bag reflexively and stared at it.

Ellie grabbed a chip and offered one to Matthew.

"I'm not hungry," Matthew said.

Next, Matthew grabbed a couple of water bottles out of his backpack. He tossed one to Joel before uncapping the other, taking a small drink, recapping it, and tossing the bottle to Ellie. Ellie took a drink.

Joel watched the exchange in silence. _It's like we used to be._ His grip on his own bottle tightened.

Matthew grabbed a book from his backpack and rose, staring up the windmill in front of him. There was a ladder leading up to a small platform near the top. He started to climb the ladder.

Joel looked down and nibbled on a chip. He looked at Ellie as she took another drink.

Ellie noticed him staring. "What?"

Joel coughed uncomfortably before answering. "Do you know how dangerous it is to share water bottles?"

"Seriously, Joel?" Ellie said in amusement. " _Really?_ That's the _best_ you could come up with?"

Joel looked down with a grunt.

Ellie snorted. "C'mon, it's not like drinking from the same water bottle is the same as kissing him."

Joel raised an eyebrow. "Not right now. Last night…"

"And there it is!" Ellie said dramatically. "Look, nothing happened last night, okay? We were just— Joel, put the gun away."

Joel placed the gun on the ground beside him and took another bite.

"Nothing has _ever_ happened," Ellie finished.

Joel didn't reply. He glanced at the windmill. _I wonder what I would have walked in on five seconds later._

Ellie simply laid down and didn't say anything further.

Joel fell asleep a while later.

"No… Riley."

Joel's eyes snapped open. He sat up.

Ellie turned over, still asleep. "Joel… Matthew, don't leave!"

Joel crawled over to her, reaching out.

Ellie turned again.

Joel grabbed her shoulder.

Ellie sat up with a scream of fear.

Joel grabbed both of her shoulders. "Ellie! Ellie, wake up!"

Ellie's eyes cleared. She shook her head, making an obvious effort to control her breathing.

Joel opened his mouth to say something.

Ellie leaned away from him. "I'm fine," she said, clearly scared. She calmed herself further. "I'm good."

"It didn't sound that way," Joel argued.

"It's over now," Ellie said firmly.

"Ellie, I know that you aren't happy with me right now," Joel started as he sat back down. "But if you ever need to—"

"I said I'm fine, Joel!" Ellie snapped. "Just… let me sleep."

Ellie rolled over again, looking up at the windmill. She slowly closed her eyes.

Joel took a deep breath and stood. He looked at the flat plains all around him. After a minute, he shook his head. _So much for sleep tonight._

Joel sat down and rested his eyes. He felt a new presence in the camp.

Joel stood and reached for his gun. When he turned, he saw Matthew standing a few feet away with his hands in the air.

"Sorry," the young said, slowly lowering his hands. "I didn't mean to startle you."

After a moment, Joel lowered the gun. "What do you want?"

"I heard her scream," Matthew said, motioning to Ellie. "I just wanted to make sure she was alright."

"She's fine," Joel said firmly. "Just another nightmare."

"Okay," Matthew said. He moved toward the windmill and grabbed the ladder. "Goodnight, sir."

"Who is she, kid?"

Matthew let go of the ladder and turned back to Joel. "Excuse me?"

"The girl you're looking for," Joel pressed, his gaze keeping Matthew in place. "Who is she?"

"How did—"

Joel placed his weapon back in his belt. "You're not suicidal. But I've been tracking you two since Wyoming. And now you're going all the way to Boston," he said calmly. "You seem too young to have a kid. So, you can only be after one of two things. A close friend or a family member. I'm guessing, whoever it is, it's a girl."

Matthew glanced at Ellie, who lay on the ground with her back to him. "This is a subject you know something about," he said to Joel. It wasn't a question.

"We're not talking about me," Joel growled. "Who is she?"

Matthew looked down. After a moment of apparent contemplation, he answered. "Family."

 ** _…_**

Ellie laid on the ground, her eyes wide open. _Is he searching for his mother? A sister? Why the hell didn't he tell me? Why did he tell Joel? Just like that._


	50. Chapter 50

Ellie, Joel, and Matthew traveled the next day in silence as they began moving through the fields of Texas and around small towns.

Once again, Matthew was in the lead.

They saw little Infected. Other than a few Bloaters in the distance, they were alone.

Ellie stayed in front of Joel, turning over the events of the previous night in her head.

"Are you alright?" Joel asked from behind Ellie.

"Yeah," Ellie said, keeping her eyes forward. "Why?"

"The last time you were this silent, you had broken Tommy's window in a snowball fight with Joey," Joel said with an amused grunt.

Ellie smiled slightly at the memory. "I'm working through something," she said. "I'll figure it out."

"Nightmare?" Joel asked.

Ellie shook her head.

Joel looked ahead at Matthew. "The boy."

"It's complicated," Ellie said. She spoke without thinking. "I trust him. I think he trusts me. But he hides things. And I'm not saying I don't hide things. I do, but…" Ellie trailed off as she realized she was rambling.

Joel remained silent, listening to her every word. He kept his face passive.

"Sometimes I think I know him, but then he'll surprise me," Ellie continued. She shook her head again. "Are guys always this confusing?"

"Um…" Joel stuttered, seemingly unsure of how to handle the question. "Well it may surprise you, but I'm a little out of practice with… uh…"

"Can we stop talking about this?" Ellie pleaded, her face getting warmer.

Joel took a breath of relief. "Yeah."

Ellie walked up to Matthew a few minutes later.

Matthew spoke before she could open her mouth. "That sounded awkward."

"Eavesdropping again?" Ellie asked, annoyed.

"I use my ears to survive," Matthew said with a laugh. "I'm sorry if I have to command myself to stop listening."

Ellie knelt and grabbed a handful of grass. She offered the large clump to Matthew. "Here," she said. "Put this in your ears."

"So are you going to ask me, or what?" Matthew said, taking the grass and holding it in his hand.

Ellie remained silent for a moment, unsure how to ask. _I'll just be direct._ "Why didn't you tell me you were searching for family?"

"It wouldn't change anything," Matthew replied, avoiding a straight answer. "I figured it was irrelevant."

"Yeah, but…" Ellie stopped speaking, at a loss for words. She glanced back at Joel for a moment before lowering her voice. "You don't owe him anything."

"Maybe not, but I think he already knew the answer," Matthew said with certainty. "No point in lying to him."

"It was too quick," Ellie said, feeling slightly jealous. "I mean, since when do you trust strangers?"

Matthew remained silent.

Ellie grabbed his shoulder briefly and began walking backwards in front of him. "Matthew, did you tell him that because you trust him, or because you want _his_ trust?"

"What you're really asking is," Matthew said as they both stopped walking. "Do I want him to trust me so I can be close to you?"

"Well?"

"Maybe it's a little bit of both," Matthew said with a shrug. "I haven't decided yet."

"Right," Ellie said in frustration. "When you figure it out, let me know."

"You'll be the first. Oh and…" Matthew handed Ellie half the grass clippings in his hand before dropping the rest to the ground. He gave her a sly smile. "In case you have trouble turning your ears off. I know how hard it is to stop listening to the world after nightmares."

Matthew walked away without a word, still smiling.

Ellie glared at him for a few second before shaking her head and smiling herself. "Passive-aggressive son of a bitch won't even let me stay mad at him."

 ** _…_**

The sun began to set as white-tailed deer began to travel the plains.

Ellie and Joel kept an eye out while Matthew knelt and examined the ground.

"From the looks of it, they travel through this area a lot," Matthew said, rising to his feet. "If we stay here, we can probably get one within an hour.

Joel glanced at the deer in the distance. "Alright," he agreed. He looked at Matthew. "You set up camp, Ellie and I will take care of the deer."

"You got it," Matthew replied.

"I have a better idea," Ellie interrupted. She grabbed her bow.

 ** _…_**

Joel knelt and glanced up to see Ellie and Matthew kneeling side by side a few feet away.

The boy had his crossbow leveled at the clearing in front of him. Ellie had an arrow drawn back.

Joel took out his gun.

"You're not going to need that," Ellie said, glancing back at Joel. "We've done this before."

"Of course you have."

"Here they come," Matthew murmured under his breath.

Ellie lowered her voice, adjusting her aim. "I hear them too. Wait until we get to a straggler."

"I shoot, you shoot?" Matthew asked looking down his crossbow.

Ellie closed her eyes for a moment. "You shoot, I shoot."

 ** _…_**

Joel examined the deer. "Clean kill," he said with a hint of admiration in his voice. "We'll eat it later. We should move."

Matthew moved toward the deer.

Ellie put up a hand and stopped him.

Joel looked between them, confused.

Ellie pointed at the deer. "You get to carry it," she said to Joel.

Joel looked at the hundred-pound deer.

Ellie spoke with more than just a little attitude. "We killed it, you can carry it. If you ask Matthew nicely, he may cook it."

Joel shook his head and shoved his pistol back into his belt. "I get to carry the deer. Right."

Matthew walked forward assist Joel in lifting the deer.

Joel glared at him and Matthew backed up.

Joel slung the deer over his shoulders. "Let's move."

Matthew took the lead. He kept his eyes on the shadows, searching for anyone or anything that may have heard the hunt.

Ellie walked alongside Joel. "How's it going, gramps?"

"I will make you pay for this," Joel promised, adjusting the deer on his shoulder.

"Matthew would have helped you if you let him," Ellie said.

Joel didn't reply.

Ellie shrugged. "He'll grow on you eventually. So, how are you going to make me pay?"

"You get to gut it," Joel said. "I know that was always your favorite part."

Ellie nodded and pulled Joel's knife from his belt. "I'm just gonna borrow this since you don't know how to use it."

"You wanna explain that?" Joel grumbled, adjusting the deer's position on his shoulder again.

"You hold it vertically when you should hold it horizontally," Ellie said, demonstrating. "The knife goes in and out quicker."

"I'm sure the boy taught you that," Joel grunted.

"Mm-hm. Saved my ass once, too."

They settled near a small, barricaded farmhouse. There was an abandoned barn a short distance away. Much of the roof had rotted, causing leaks from years of rain.

Joel paced the perimeter of the small camp they had created just outside the barn. After searching for supplies, Ellie and Matthew started to gut and cook the deer.

"Dammit!" Ellie exclaimed.

"Language," Joel said, turning to her. "What's wrong?"

Ellie placed Joel's knife on the ground. "It's dull."

"There's bucket of water in the barn," Matthew said, tossing Ellie his own knife. "Whoever used to live there was probably trying to stop a leak. I'll grab it and get the whetstone ready. We can sharpen the knives tonight."

Ellie continued working on the deer with Matthew's knife, leaving Joel's on the ground.

Joel sighed in frustration and turned around.

They sat in silence while the deer cooked.

The trio finally ate as the moon rose high in the sky. Matthew finished first and walked into the barn. He grabbed the bucket from the barn and the whetstone from his backpack, submerging it.

Ellie swallowed her deer meat and grabbed out her knife, placing it on the ground next to the knives of her companions. Joel took out his gun, ejected the clip, and emptied the chamber before taking apart the gun and examining it.

"Not many kids know how to use a whetstone," Joel observed as Matthew held the object underwater.

"My mother taught me to read. She always said I can learn a lot from books," Matthew said with a shrug. "That's why I always prefer to hold up in libraries. What about you?"

Joel started to put the gun back together. "I count my blessings and camp anywhere that's safe. It doesn't matter where it is as long as Infected and Hunters don't get us."

"Can't argue with that logic," Matthew replied.

Joel looked at Ellie, who was watching the exchange with mild interest.

For a few minutes, the only sound was Matthew's hands shifting in the water bucket.

"You still reading comics?" Joel asked Ellie.

Ellie shook her head. "Books last longer," she replied. "And they're easier to find."

"You never showed much interest in books in Jackson," Joel grumbled.

"I had music," Ellie said with a shrug. "You don't happen to have a small generator and my CD player in your backpack, do you?"

"Sorry Ellie, I had to leave a quickly," Joel snapped in frustration. "Maybe you should have brought it with you."

Ellie looked away. "I never asked you to come after me," she said again.

"It sounds to me like you weren't originally planning to leave," Matthew observed. "You've mentioned a Walkman that you left behind too."

Ellie glared at him.

Joel also stared at Matthew.

Matthew looked down as if nothing had happened and grabbed the knives, placing them beside him.

Joel pulled out his guitar and looked at Ellie. "You still play?"

"Every once in a while," Ellie said. She cautiously reached for her guitar. "It's not always safe to play out in the open."

"Seems safe enough right now," Joel replied. "We missed a few practices."

Ellie looked at Matthew.

Matthew grabbed Joel's knife first and began sharpening it. "I always said you should play more," the young man said without meeting her gaze. He glanced at Joel. "You taught her well, sir."

"Maybe I taught myself," Ellie said, folding her arms.

"Did you?" Matthew asked with a small smile.

"Fine," Ellie said to Joel. "But only until Matthew is done with the knives."

 ** _…_**

Matthew spent an hour sharpening two of the three blades. He watched as Ellie and Joel started with individual notes and then began making their own tunes.

Joel and Ellie soon began to talk about their techniques as if they had done it a hundred times before.

Matthew moved on to the third knife. _Maybe they have._

Ellie laughed at something Joel said and they began to play a little faster.

Matthew saw Joel give Ellie a rare smile.

Once again, Matthew saw the connection with Joel that Ellie had previously denied or tried to bury. _They truly care for each other._

Matthew continued to slow down his sharpening, allowing them play longer.

"Do you want to practice the song?" Joel asked after a while.

Matthew didn't ask what the older man meant.

Ellie shook her head and put down the guitar. "Not tonight," she said with a yawn she desperately tried to fake. "I'm too tired."

Joel nodded and put down his own guitar.

Matthew gave back Ellie and Joel's knives, placed his own knife in his belt, and doused the fire before grabbing his backpack. "I'll be in the barn."

"'Night," Ellie said.

 ** _…_**

Joel watched as Matthew entered the barn and climbed up the ladder to the second floor.

The young man pulled the wooden ladder up behind him and tossed it aside.

"Why does he always do that?" Joel asked Ellie.

"Why don't you ask him?" Ellie replied.

"Because I'm asking you."

"His nightmares are pretty bad," Ellie said after a moment. She stopped talking as if she were afraid that she would say something wrong. She continued speaking quietly as she grabbed her guitar and placed it into its case. "He always separates himself from… It's just that he keeps to himself at night."

Joel grunted.

Ellie looked at him as she closed her guitar case. "Do you have any reason to complain about _that?_ "

"Not really," Joel said.

"That's the last question I'm answering for Matthew," Ellie said firmly. She placed her knife in her back pocket. "You want more answers, ask him yourself."


	51. Chapter 51

_Joel stood before a pool of blood. He was surrounded by bodies._

 _Infected. Military. Hunters. They all had featureless faces._

 _Joel knelt to examine all the bodies. He turned one over and screamed in agony._

 _This body was in perfect focus. Ellie lay motionless on the ground. Her face and body was covered in blood. She bore wounds of all variety. Knife wounds were inflicted in her chest. Bullet holes riddled her entire lower body. Her arms were mutilated as if Infected had ripped her apart piece-by-piece._

 _Joel cradled her body in his arms. He shut his eyes and opened them. The body began to rapidly change form. For the briefest moment, he was holding Sarah._

 _The body continued to flicker, changing from Ellie to Sarah and back to Ellie. "C'mon, baby girl. don't do this to me. Don't…"_

 _Suddenly, the bodies were gone._

 _Joel heard the sound of shoes walking on liquid. He stood and turned to see Ellie's form walking away from him. She was no longer covered in wounds. With every step, the blood beneath her shoes splashed higher, covering her cloths and skin._

 _Joel stumbled back. "Ellie…"_

 _Ellie turned toward Joel. There was no light in her eyes. When she looked at Joel, he saw only hatred._

 _The form of the traveling boy materialized beside her._

 _Ellie looked at the boy with happiness before returning to glare at Joel. "Goodbye, Joel," she said._

 _The boy wrapped his arm around Ellie and turned them away._

Joel sat up quickly and looked around, seeing that Ellie was gone. He relaxed slightly when he saw her backpack. _She's close. But where… She'd better not be with that boy._

Joel stormed into the barn. "Kid!"

There was a soft shuffling. A few seconds later, Matthew emerged. As the boy was putting on his shirt, Joel noticed a healed bullet wound in his left shoulder.

"Where's Ellie?" Joel demanded.

"I don't know?" Matthew said, slightly concerned. He reached behind him and grabbed his backpack. "Did you check the roof of the house?"

Joel turned walked out of the barn without a word.

Behind him, Matthew tossed the ladder down and dropped to the floor. He joined Joel outside the barn.

Joel sighed in relief.

Ellie was sitting on the roof of the house, watching the sun rise. She had her guitar in her lap.

Matthew joined Joel and they started walking toward the house. "She must have had a nasty nightmare," the young man said casually as he pulled his hair into a ponytail. "She usually waits for me to wake up."

Joel glared at the boy but could find nothing to say.

Matthew checked his crossbow.

Joel looked up as Ellie turned and saw them. She turned away again, facing the sun.

Matthew winced as he placed his backpack around his shoulder.

Joel looked at him curiously.

Matthew smiled sheepishly. "My shoulder sometimes aches in the morning. It'll stop in a few hours."

"When did you get shot?" Joel asked, returning his gaze to Ellie.

Matthew clipped his crossbow to his waist. "April. Ellie and I attracted the attention of a military scout group. We managed to bluff our way into getting a ride."

Joel took out his weapon and ejected the clip before inserting it back into the gun. "Not a smart move to bluff your way into a ride with the military."

"Well, we were fine until they brought out the scanner," Matthew said rubbing his shoulder. "Still, I survived. Ellie's a pretty good doctor."

"Yeah, she is," Joel said without thinking. He shook his head and quickly changed the subject. "Was that the same truck that the two kids were driving?"

"It was an eventful couple of days," Matthew said. "Town from hell, the military, Tim and Clarisse, you…"

Joel turned quickly. "Exactly how much did Ellie tell you about me?"

"Not much," Matthew said.

Joel knew the boy was telling the truth.

Matthew waited for a moment and spoke slowly. "She traveled with you for a while. She trusted you. And at some point, she ended up hurt."

"Of course that's what she told you," Joel spat, turning away.

"I've had to piece most of it together myself," Matthew said passively. "Ellie can be a pretty private person. I think we keep the worst memories to ourselves."

Joel continued to walk, becoming uncomfortable with how the boy was reading into their lives.

"And all of us have things we want to hide," Matthew finished.

"For your sake," Joel said, stopping and turning to the boy again. "I would stay away from this subject."

"Yes, sir," Matthew said respectfully.

Ellie began to descend the roof.

"She admires you too," Matthew said from behind Joel. "I still see it."

Joel didn't reply.

The day grew hot as the sun rose. The trio stopped for lunch around midday.

Joel took out a map. "Alright. There's a town a few hours east of here. We should resupply there and make camp for the night."

Matthew shifted uncomfortably.

"Is there a problem?" Joel asked.

Matthew shook his head. "Not if it's the best move."

"After tonight, we'll have to go slower," Joel finished.

Ellie looked at the map. "That's a lot of open terrain," she argued. "What's the issue?"

"It could be clear, or it could be overrun with Infected," Joel explained. "The last time I went through there, it was with a large group of people. Unfortunately, we were joined by another large group. Some of them were infected. When they turned, twelve people were killed. Everybody scattered. Not even a third of the group made it to the next zone."

"So basically, it could be filled with Bloaters," Matthew summarized.

"At least we can sneak around the bloaters," Ellie said, taking a drink of her water.

"It's not just Bloaters that we have to worry about," Joel interrupted, folding up the map. "There are always people traveling between the zones. We could have to deal with any number of threats."

"Then I guess we'll have to be careful," Ellie said simply.

Joel glanced at her and she shook her head, confirming that his grim assessment had done nothing to change her mind about Matthew's mission.

Ellie turned to Matthew again. "Is there a time limit on getting to Boston?"

"I doubt it," the boy replied.

Joel saw a faint trace of sadness in his eyes.

 ** _…_**

Ellie walked beside Joel as Matthew once again took the lead. She had cut the sleeves off her blue shirt to expose her shoulders.

Ellie rolled up the shirt slightly at the bottom, exposing the skin above her waist. It did little to prevent the constant sweating from her forehead. "I hate summers in Texas," she grumbled.

"You wore sweatshirts when it was hotter than this," Joel observed.

Ellie stopped and turned to him. "Your point being?"

"Don't you think your showing…" Joel stopped and lowered his voice. "A little too much… skin?"

Ellie glanced at Matthew and realized that Joel wasn't talking about her bite. As she and Joel continued walking, Ellie grabbed the bottom of her shirt and tugged it up, exposing the skin from her waist to just below her ribcage.

Joel looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

Ellie finished by tying the shirt in a tight knot and raised her eyebrows. "What do you think?" she asked with a stretch. "Better?"

Joel ran a hand down his face. _We lived in Jackson for three years and I never had to deal with this crap._ "Ellie…" he warned.

Ellie smiled cruelly and raised her voice. "Hey, Matthew."

Matthew turned around, saw Ellie, and cracked up laughing.

Ellie glared at him. "What's so funny?"

"That's… so not you," Matthew replied.

"You never me have any fun," Ellie muttered under her breath. She untied her shirt and tugged it down as Joel allowed a small look of relief.

They reached the town just before sundown. It was large and spread out. The houses had large yards and sidewalks. The business buildings were also spread out. There were not many corners or alleys for cover.

Ellie stood next to Joel. "Have you ever been here?" she asked.

"My grandparents lived here," Joel said. He glanced at Matthew, who stood a few feet away, taking deep breaths. Joel chose to ignore the boy. "I used to visit with Tommy. There's a lot of houses on the outskirts."

"What about libraries?" Ellie asked.

"There should be one on the edge of town, near the river. Why?"

"I finished my book this morning," Ellie answered, throwing a concerned look in Matthew's direction.

 ** _…_**

They came to a long street with multiple houses.

Joel pointed ahead of them. "Most people would have gone into the city for supplies," he said. "We should search these first. We may actually find something."

Ellie took out her bow. "I'll take the two down the street. You guys can handle these three." She winked at Matthew and walked away without a word.

Matthew shook his head. "I think she wants you to kill me," he said to Joel with a hint of irritation in his voice.

Twenty minutes later, Joel and Matthew were sitting on a patch of grass across the street from several houses, going through their findings. Matthew zipped up his backpack as they saw Ellie cross into another house.

Joel kept his eyes fixed every house that Ellie was in, gripping his gun tightly in his hand.

Matthew continued glancing around uncomfortably.

"Why don't you like going into towns and villages?" Joel asked, finally breaking the silence.

"I've seen enough despair in this world that I don't have to be reminded how it ended for…" the young man stopped. He took a breath. "Well, I don't need see how it ended for those who didn't make it."

"I didn't think things like that would bother you," Joel said, letting his weapon go limp in his hand. "You've been out here a long time."

"I'd hate to think of what kind of person I would be if nothing in this world bothered me," Matthew responded quietly. He looked at Joel. "But then again, if I was that way, you and Ellie wouldn't trust me."

"I don't trust you," Joel growled. "I've made that pretty clear. I wouldn't put my life, or Ellie's, in _your_ hands."

Matthew took the comment in stride and motioned to the house Ellie was just exiting. " _She_ trusts you with her life," he said calmly. "She may not trust you with her feelings, but I'm not blinded to the fact that they exist."

"Her feelings aren't your concern," Joel said quietly.

"Sir, you seem to me as a threat," Matthew said, choosing his words carefully. He looked Joel in the eye. "Do you see me as a threat to _her_ , or to _you_?"

Joel opened his mouth to reply when Ellie walked forward. She stopped in front of them. "Am I interrupting something?"

"No," Joel answered. "Let's get moving."


	52. Chapter 52

Ellie, Joel, and Matthew stood outside a two-story library.

Joel and Ellie set down their guitars.

They all turned on their flashlights and drew their weapons.

Joel opened the door and shoved a cart full of books aside. A few of the books tumbled to the ground noisily.

They heard the sounds of shuffling on the other side of the library followed by more falling books.

Ellie turned quickly. "Oh shit!" She unleashed an arrow as a Runner came barreling toward her.

The Runner's corpse slid to a stop at her feet. As Ellie grabbed another arrow, Matthew moved beside her and shot another Runner who had come around a nearby bookshelf.

 ** _…_**

Joel moved forward into the library, his gun raised. He heard a loud series of sharp clicking noises.

A Clicker came running toward him flailing its arms. Joel shot it twice in the head. It stumbled and fell forward. He turned in time to see a Stalker charging him.

Joel brought up his forearm and pressed it against the Stalker's neck. Its teeth gnashed and its jaws snapped together inches from his face. Joel pushed the Stalker away with a grunt and punched it hard in the side of the head.

The Stalker staggered into nearby bookshelf. Joel grabbed its head and smashed it on the wooden surface. The Stalker's head exploded loudly and its body went still. Joel shook the blood off his hand. He could hear his two companions and more Infected on the other end of the library.

 ** _…_**

Ellie ducked behind another bookcase and pushed it over, causing it to fall on the Clicker attempting to reach her.

Ellie ran around the shelf and jammed her knife through its head. It went silent after a few loud clicks of pain. She turned as Joel ran around the corner and fired his weapon. A Stalker that was behind Ellie fell to the ground with a gurgled scream.

Ellie kicked it once and looked at Joel. "Where's Matthew?"

 ** _…_**

Matthew stood in the center of the second story of the library. He kept his eyes on the shadows. "Where are you?"

A book was knocked over to his left. As he turned, Matthew could have sworn that he saw a hand disappearing behind another shelf. He turned to the sound of the creaking staircase behind him.

As he returned his attention forward, the Stalker rushed at Matthew from the left. Matthew was shoved the Infected into a nearby bookshelf and his crossbow clattered to the ground.

 ** _…_**

Joel and Ellie ran up the stairs in the center of the library.

Joel got to the top in time to see a Stalker's teeth imbedded in the boy's arm.

A knife was protruding from the Stalkers gut. The boy extracted the knife and used it to slit the Stalkers throat. The Stalker gagged and gurgled before falling to the ground.

The library was silent.

Joel grabbed Ellie as she walked toward Matthew. He pointed his gun at the now infected young man.

Ellie rolled her eyes and shoved Joel's hand away.

Matthew rolled up his sleeve and showed Joel the bark that covered his arm.

Joel slowly lowered the gun. "That's a nice trick," he said. His words offered no admiration.

"The Stalker certainly thought so," Matthew said, retrieving his crossbow.

"The second you disrespect those things," Joel said sternly. "They kill you."

Matthew nodded but didn't say anything.

Ellie grabbed Matthew's arm and used her flashlight to examine the bark. "Matthew, that was too close," she said, clearly concerned. "I can see your arm."

Matthew pulled down the sleeve. "I'll replace the bark soon," he assured her. He started walking away. "I'll be in the nonfiction section."

Ellie nodded and began to browse the shelf.

After doing another quick check of the library, Joel found Ellie browsing sci-fi books on the ground floor. He walked up and handed her a set of Angel Knives Comics.

"I don't read comics anymore," Ellie said, not even looking at them. She took a book from the shelf and looked at it before putting it away.

Joel opened her backpack and placed them inside.

Ellie grabbed another book. "You should be nicer to him," she said, peering through the book.

"Ellie, I'm not going to have this conversation with you," Joel said, throwing a glance at the nonfiction section.

"He's my friend," Ellie snapped as she turned to Joel. "Treat him with some respect. He's been more than polite to you. And if it wasn't for him, you wouldn't even be here."

"I would have followed you anyway," Joel said firmly. "You want to be his friend, that's fine. But remember that we don't know anything about this kid. Not even who he's looking for."

"So?" Ellie asked, slamming the book shut. "I don't remember you telling me everything the second we met. We all have our secrets, Joel."

"He seems to know everything about you."

"Not everything," Ellie said, lowering her voice. She sighed and shook her head. "He doesn't know about Riley. Not her name anyway."

"That's another thing," Joel said, lowering his voice as well. "Why would you want to go back to Boston?"

"I'm helping my friend," Ellie said, still not looking at him. "It's that simple."

Joel turned away. _This was never simple._ He took a deep breath. "Alright Ellie. I'll give him _one_ chance," he promised. "But I need you to think about what happens after this is done. Think about what's best for _you_. Not for him."

Joel walked away.

 ** _…_**

Ellie turned toward the bookshelf. _He'll never understand. I don't belong in Jackson._ She picked out a book and shoved it in her backpack next to the comics. _I can't think that far ahead anyway. I never could._

Ellie walked to the nonfiction section.

Matthew greeted her with a nod as he put back another book.

Ellie looked at the books along the shelf behind her. "There's a lot about wars."

"I wouldn't know," Matthew said, moving away from the aisle. "I kinda stay away from that part of history."

Ellie leaned against a shelf. "What were you and Joel talking about earlier?"

"Nothing."

"I told him to lay off a bit," Ellie said.

"I didn't ask you to do that," Matthew said, grabbing another book.

Ellie gave him a small smile and nodded. "I know. But I did. So deal."

Matthew gave her a shrug and they began to descend the stairs.

Ellie watched as Joel exited the library. "So, why do you always call him 'sir'?" she asked.

"I was always taught to respect my elders," Matthew said with a chuckle. "My mother always said that you can be _respectful_ to someone without _respecting_ them. But that's not an issue I have with him."

Ellie laughed. "What the hell is the difference between 'being respectful' and 'respecting' someone?"

Joel walked in from outside with their guitars, inserting himself into their conversation. "It means that when you're right next to them, you be polite. But what's said in your head stays in your head."

Ellie raised her eyebrows at Joel.

"Tommy used to mouth off at the teachers," Joel explained.

Matthew leaned against a bookshelf. "And Tommy is?"

"My brother," Joel grunted.

After eating a small dinner scavenged from one of the nearby houses, Ellie sat on one of the old couches next to Matthew. Joel had gone into an abandoned storage room to search for supplies.

Ellie tossed a scrap piece of paper in the trash bin that they'd used to create a small fire. "I miss the deer already," she said.

"Since when did you get picky about food?" Matthew asked, leaning back. "Oh wait, you were always picky."

Ellie elbowed him.

Matthew grabbed his side. "Ow! What is with you and always beating me up?"

"Because I can," Ellie said with a smile. "And because I only have one weakness. So it's harder for you to retaliate."

Matthew reached over to tickle her side.

Ellie slapped his hand away. "Tickling is off limits," she said.

"I thought that it was your only weakness," Matthew said.

Ellie folded her arms. "It is."

Matthew reached over, grabbed her right arm, and unfolded it.

"Um… what are you doing?" Ellie asked.

Matthew started tracing his fingertips along her palm. "Most people have two ticklish spots."

Ellie smiled and moved a little closer to him. She took off the cloth covering the bite and extended her arm. "Try me."

Matthew slowly moved up Ellie's arm, barely touching her with the edge of his fingertips. Ellie remained unmoving and uncaring, even as Matthew traced over her bite and up to her shoulder.

Matthew reached the crease between Ellie's shoulder and her neck. She reflexively attempted to cover the spot with the side of her face. Matthew grinned and began to tickle the spot.

Ellie started to giggle. "Hey! Not Fair! Stop it!"

" _Two_ weaknesses," Matthew said with a smile.

Ellie grabbed his hand and Matthew retaliated by tickling the spot just below her ribcage. Ellie grabbed that hand as well.

Matthew tried in vain to tug his hand away. "Well," he said as Ellie held their arms above them. "Now what?"

Ellie thought for a moment before she leaned back and started to loudly gather spit in her mouth.

"Ellie, don't you dare—"

"Hey!"

Ellie and Matthew tuned to see Joel carrying a lighter and a few boxes of tape.

The older man lowered his voice and spoke quietly. "Remember where we are. Keep it down."

"We played our guitars outside, like, two days ago," Ellie said, releasing Matthew's hands. "How loud do you think _that_ was?"

"Ellie, just… just do what I say," Joel said. He walked outside.

Matthew moved to the other side of the couch. "I don't think he's going to warm to me quickly," he said with disappointment.

Ellie looked down for a moment. "If that made him mad, just think about what he'd do if I kissed you," she said.

Matthew froze.

Ellie blushed and looked away. _Did that just come out of my mouth?_

Matthew quickly stood. "Ellie, do me a favor," he said, his voice a mixture of disappointment and irritation. "Don't use me to make Joel mad. You're better than that."

"That's not what I meant by that, Matthew," Ellie said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Matthew shrugged her hand off. "Are you sure about that?"

Ellie was silent.

Matthew turned away.

Ellie shook her head, sighed in frustration, and walked out of the library.

 ** _…_**

Matthew sat back on the couch. _Nice going Matthew. Way to say it like it is._ He ran a hand down his face and began to think of what lies ahead. _Boston, then what? After this is over… Will Ellie stay? Will I lead her to her death?_

Matthew closed his eyes. A brief image of Ellie lying in a pool of blood came to his mind and he snapped his eyes open. _I won't let that happen. I can't. I can't be the cause of her death too._

 ** _…_**

Ellie stepped outside and kicked a stick in frustration. _He was fucking right. Sometimes… dammit._ She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Joel standing next to her.

"What's up, kiddo?" Joel asked.

"Nothing," Ellie said for what felt like the millionth time.

Joel nodded and started to walk away. "You know where to find me."

"Joel?" Ellie said. He turned back to her. Ellie looked down. "What do you do when someone calls you on your shit and you know that they're right but you don't want to admit it?"

Joel sighed. "I guess I would have to admit to myself that I'm wrong and _then_ talk to the other person," he said. "That's never been your strong suit."

Ellie's mouth opened slightly and she took a step back.

Joel seemed to realize the impact of his words. "Ellie, I'm sorry, that… that didn't come out the way I meant it to."

Ellie looked him in the eye. "Maybe I learned from the best," she said coolly.

Joel opened his mouth to reply but thought better of it. He looked down. "Maybe."

Ellie moved to reenter the library.

Joel walked beside her. "Ellie, why are you asking me all these questions?"

Ellie opened the door for him. "Who else am I gonna ask?"

Joel gave her a small smile and walked inside.

Matthew looked up from his book as Ellie and Joel reentered the library.

Matthew nodded at Joel.

Joel nodded in return and moved to another room.

Ellie walked toward the other end of the library.

A short time later, Ellie sat down on the couch next to Matthew. "You were right," she finally admitted. "Again."

"You say that like our roles have never been reversed," Matthew said. He marked his page and put the book down. "It's done with. Besides, sometimes we need other people to point out our flaws."

 ** _…_**

Joel opened a cupboard and shifted through the contents. _Nothing._

A case caught Joel's eye. He examined it for a moment before tucking it under his arm and exited the room to see Matthew once again reading a book. Ellie lay dosing on the couch next to him, her pinky finger intertwined with his.

Joel hesitated for a moment. _I promised her I'd try._ He set the case on a nearby table.

The sound awoke Ellie from her doze.

Matthew looked up.

Joel glanced at Matthew and then at the chess game that he had found. "You play?" he asked the boy.

"Not for a long time," Matthew replied.

"I didn't know you could play chess," Ellie said to Matthew, rubbing her eyes.

"You never asked."

Joel pulled a second chair up to the table. "It's still early."

Matthew looked at Ellie, who shrugged. She seemed as surprised as he was.

Joel started to separate the pieces by color as Matthew set up the board on the table.

"You want white or black?" Joel asked.

Matthew grabbed the darker pieces. "I'll take black."

Ellie pulled up a chair as Joel and Matthew finished setting the board. "How long has it been since you played, Joel?" she asked, handing him a wayward piece.

Joel finished placing his queen on the board. "Sarah used to kick my ass."

"Who's Sarah?" Matthew inquired as they sat down on either side of the board.

Joel didn't answer. He leaned forward, examining the board. "Do you want to go first?"

Matthew shook his head. "No. White usually makes the first move."

"Who taught you to play?" Joel asked as he moved a pawn.

Matthew took a moment to examine the board before moving one of his knights. "My mother," he answered. "I had a hard time focusing when I was younger. I always had to be doing two things at once. She said this would help me focus."

"How old were you?" Ellie asked.

"Six," Matthew answered.

"Pretty young," Joel commented as he moved a piece.

Matthew didn't answer right away, moving a piece of his own.

After another few moves, Joel's queen was positioned in the middle of the board.

Matthew spoke as he moved another pawn. "In this world, youth isn't exactly enjoyable. But chess was good to me."

 ** _…_**

Ellie watched as they continued to play. She noticed that Matthew would examine the board for at least three seconds before making his move.

Joel would move within two seconds.

Ellie leaned back. _Well, at least he's civil. He's trying._

There was little small talk. Ellie began to doze again. She leaned backward in the old chair, almost tipping it over. She steadied herself with a loud clang.

"That was graceful," Matthew commented, not looking away from the board.

"Shut up," Ellie grunted.

Joel moved the queen again, taking out one of Matthew's pawns.

Fifteen minutes into the game, the pieces were now spread over the board.

"Well, I'm going to bed," Ellie said with a yawn. "This game still doesn't have enough movement for me."

"You should try 'Operation'," Joel said.

"What?" Ellie asked through another yawn.

"Nothing," Joel said as Matthew moved his knight. "Goodnight, kiddo."

Ellie turned around and brought the bin of fire next to the table. "Don't stay up too late. I hate being the first person awake."

"See you in the morning," Matthew said.

 ** _…_**

Matthew and Joel played for another ten minutes in silence.

Matthew began to move slower, analyzing the board fully before making a move.

Joel looked behind Matthew at Ellie, whose arm was draped over the side of the couch. Her bite reflected slightly in the dying firelight. The cloth that covered the bite lay across Ellie's chest. Joel looked back at the game and saw that Matthew was looking at her arm as well.

Joel moved one of his bishops. "Got something to say?"

Matthew looked back at the game as well. "She's a strong person. She'd have to be to carry that burden around with her."

"She obviously told you about how it feels," Joel said.

"She didn't have to," Matthew replied, moving his knight. "It never mattered to me."

Joel moved his queen again. "I suppose she just spilled her guts the second she decided she trusted you."

"Not exactly," Matthew said. For the first time, he didn't hesitate in making a move. He used his knight to remove Joel's bishop, making the queen his next target. Matthew took a deep breath. "Is there something you'd like to ask me, sir?"

"I'd just like to know what you did to make her so blindly loyal to you," Joel said quietly, moving his queen out of Matthew's path.

"I didn't do anything," Matthew said. He made another move. "She followed me. It was her choice."

"So she's following you into danger," Joel said, taking one of Matthew's bishops. "And you don't care."

Matthew moved his castle in front of his own king. "If I thought telling her to leave would keep her out of danger, I would. But I also believe there's safety in numbers. I'm doing what I can to keep her safe."

"You're lying," Joel said, taking one of Matthew's pawns.

"Sir," Matthew said, looking up. "I don't think you know me well enough to say that."

Joel raised his voice slightly. "I don't need to, boy. Ellie didn't even know you were going to Boston until after I found you. You could have left without saying anything, but you didn't. You came back for her."

Matthew thought for a moment before returning his gaze to the board and moving his knight back to its previous position. "Maybe I am lying to myself," he admitted. "But somehow, I don't think that leaving her behind would have made it any easier for her to survive. I think it would have hurt her more than anything else."

Joel made another move. "Have you told her who you're looking for and why?"

Matthew shook his head. "No. There are some things that I like to keep close to the chest," he said, moving a pawn to buy some time. "I have… issues with my past that I still have to work through. I'm not willing to burden others with them."

Joel placed his queen further out of the danger. "Don't let the sins of _your_ past get _her_ hurt."

"I was under the impression that the sins of the past were what got her here," Matthew said. He moved his knight again and glanced at Joel.

The older man was glaring at him.

Matthew looked away, realizing he had crossed a line. "Sorry. Backing off."

"Wise choice," Joel said. After a few moves, he placed his castle across from Matthew's king. "Check."

Matthew immediately used his own castle to take out the opposing castle, keeping his king safe. Joel moved his queen. Matthew moved his knight down the board toward Joel's king. Joel moved his queen again.

"You put a lot of focus on moving your queen," Matthew observed.

"That's because the queen is the most important piece."

"It's a powerful piece," Matthew allowed. He moved his knight near Joel's king again. "That doesn't make it the most important. Check."

Joel removed Matthew's knight with his queen, saving his king. "I suppose you think that the _knight_ is the most important piece," the older man grunted.

Matthew shrugged and moved his surviving knight a few spaces away from his own king. "Well, I never underestimate the value of a protector."

"Is that what you think you are?" Joel asked moving his queen back a space. "A protector?"

"Hell no," Matthew said, looking at the couch behind him. He turned to Joel. "But protectors can always surprise you with the lengths they're willing to go to keep their allies safe. Even if their allies don't understand it or like it."

They both made a few moves in silence before Matthew moved his knight towards Joel's king again.

"Even the queen needs their protection," Matthew said.

"Is that why you let your queen get taken so early?" Joel challenged.

"Tu-shay."

"If you really want to protect someone, you do what's best for _them_ ," Joel said, placing his queen into a gap that led straight to Matthew's king. "Not yourself. Checkmate."

Matthew's hand lingered on his knight for a moment. "I guess so," he said, letting his hand drop.

Matthew stood and extended his hand.

Joel clasped it for only a millisecond before letting his hand drop.

Matthew tipped his king over. "Good game, sir."

 ** _…_**

Joel looked up from the board as Ellie began to roll back and forth on the couch, murmuring in her sleep. He watched as Matthew walked up behind the couch and reached down, squeezing Ellie's shoulder.

Ellie relaxed and grabbed his hand, still fast asleep.

Matthew removed his hand after a few seconds. He moved around the couch and started to gather the remains of their camp into a pile.

Joel ran a hand down his face and examined the board again. He noticed something new.

Matthew's knight was in position to remove Joel's queen.

The game was not over.

Joel started to play the game from both sides.

Within five moves, Joel's white king was bound in a checkmate, trapped in a corner by Matthew's knight and castle.

Joel sat back. _He let me win. He could have taken the queen. He would have won._

Joel looked over as Matthew walked toward the restrooms.

Matthew looked at Ellie again before closing the door.

Joel was still staring at the door minutes after it closed. _Who the hell is this kid?_


	53. Chapter 53

Someone started shouting.

Joel's eyes snapped open and he looked around.

Ellie was gone.

Joel ran toward the source of the shouting. It came from the locked restroom door. _What the hell? Where is Ellie?_ He glanced through the glass doors leading outside and saw Ellie standing in the early morning light. Joel relaxed slightly as the shouting continued. _Thank God._

Joel looked at the restroom door as Matthew shouted again. He reached for the door but thought better of it.

Ellie turned toward Joel as he exited the library. "Hey," she said.

Joel stood next to her. He noticed that she was holding one of the comics he'd found the previous night.

Joel looked back at the library. "Is that a normal occurrence?" he attempted to ask casually.

"We all have nightmares," Ellie replied.

"You were about to have a nightmare last night," Joel said carefully. "What was it about?"

Ellie didn't answer for a minute. She looked down. "Marlene. Her… dying."

Joel took a deep breath. "Ellie…"

"Can we talk about this, Joel?" Ellie pleaded. She turned to him and Joel saw sadness but not anger. "I mean, she was my friend. She knew my mom."

Joel closed his eyes for a moment, thinking. "Okay," he said, preparing himself.

Ellie took a deep breath of her own.

Joel opened his eyes. "What do you want to know?"

"Why did she die?" Ellie asked. She sat on a nearby bench. "How… how did she die? What happened after I fell off that bus?"

Joel couldn't meet Ellie's eyes. "After you almost drowned, the Fireflies found us. I got knocked out and woke up in a hospital bed," he explained as he sat down on the bench.

Ellie shrunk away from him.

Joel didn't pursue her. He continued. "You weren't there. I asked to see you and Marlene said that I couldn't because…"

"Because?" Ellie pressed, scratching her bite.

"They were prepping you for surgery," Joel said, intertwining his fingers. "Marlene knew it would kill you. They tried to march me out and… I killed them. I found you, I got you out, and I killed them."

Ellie stood as tears started to fall from her face.

Joel knew that Ellie believed the truth he was telling her. He remained on the bench.

Ellie turned to him after wiping away a tear. "I was knocked out," she said as she clamped her hand around her bite. "I wouldn't have felt anything."

"That's not the point," Joel said softly.

Ellie stood and began to pace. "Yeah, I know. You did it because I deserved better," she said bitterly.

Joel opened his mouth to reply.

Ellie raised her voice, cutting him off. "You told me that there were others like me. Was that a lie?"

"Not an intentional one," Joel said firmly. "I found a tape recording. It mentioned past cases. It could mean that there were others with some form of immunity."

"If I was so special, why didn't you let me finish what I started?" Ellie asked angrily.

"Ellie, none of the past cases had survived," Joel said. He stood. "And even if they did have some form of immunity, it's obvious that nobody survived the surgery. Why should you die for nothing?"

"It may not have been for…" Ellie lowered her voice and took a deep breath. Her hands continued to shake. "Look, I don't have the energy to fight right now."

"Kiddo, I don't want to fight either," Joel said calmly.

Ellie turned and walked back to the library. She stopped, grasping the doorknob. "When you… when Marlene died, was it quick?"

"I didn't make her suffer," Joel answered.

Ellie nodded and opened the door to the library.

They stood frozen in place for a few seconds before Joel walked forward and stopped next to Ellie. "I know it may not mean much," he said cautiously. "But… Marlene believed she was doing the right thing. Even though it killed her to go through with it, she believed she was doing what was best for the world. And for you."

Ellie turned around as a single tear fell down her face. "Thank you for telling me the truth," she whispered.

Ellie walked inside.

 ** _…_**

Matthew pulled on his shirt and his backpack. He walked out of the restroom as Ellie brushed past him. He saw her wipe her eyes as she quickly moved back into the library and up the stairs to the second floor.

Matthew went to follow her when he was swung around. The young man reacted quickly, grabbing the hand and pushing it away before freezing when he realized it was Joel.

They stood silently for a moment.

"Sorry, sir," Matthew apologized. "Reflex."

"You'd better watch that," Joel growled as he moved past Matthew into the library.

Matthew followed, lowering his voice. "Is Ellie okay?" he asked.

"You're just going to ask her anyway," Joel said, grabbing his backpack from the ground. "Why bother asking me?"

"If you want me to leave this alone," Matthew said. "I will."

"I don't think it's any of your business," Joel grunted as he slung the backpack around his shoulder. "But if you think you can talk to her, be my guest."

Matthew looked away for a moment. "In my experience, sometimes it's best to take the time to confront the feelings rather than letting them build up."

Joel checked his gun before shoving it in his belt. "It's best just to move on."

Matthew nodded and started walking in Ellie's direction. He stopped and turned to Joel. "No offence," he said carefully to the older man. "But 'moving on' sounds like an excuse to avoid your demons."

"Sometimes, avoiding the demons keeps you alive," Joel argued.

"Maybe," Matthew admitted. "But they kill you on the inside."

Matthew grabbed his crossbow and found Ellie in the historical section of the library. She had a guarded expression.

Matthew placed a hand on the bookcase.

"I don't want to talk about it," Ellie said as she closed the book she was holding and dropped it on the floor.

Matthew traced his fingertips along the books next to him. "You usually don't. But this is different. I've never seen you out of control."

"I'm not out of control," Ellie snapped. "And I _don't_ want to talk about it."

Matthew just stared at her, allowing Ellie to let her anger and emotion bubble up and boil over.

Ellie only held his gaze for a few seconds before placing her hand on another book. "The truth hurts."

"But at least it's the truth," Matthew replied. "Would you rather have a lie?"

"This is different," Ellie said. She tightened her grip on the book. "I knew a lie was being told. I just… ignored it, I guess. I don't think you'd understand."

Matthew bent down, picked up Ellie's fallen book, and placed it on the shelf. "Maybe not. Being by myself for so long has had some advantages. Nobody to tell lies or truth to."

Ellie started to speak louder and her voice became frantic. "I mean, a lie I get, but you'd think that if the lies had to do with the 'cure for humanity', someone would think, 'Hey, maybe the whole truth would be nice. We should tell this person that we're going to kill her'!"

Ellie started to talk faster and began throwing more and more books to the ground.

Matthew remained silent and still.

Ellie turned around and started grabbing books from the other shelf. "Or maybe, 'Hey she's worked really hard to fucking matter in this world. Maybe we should give her a choice and see what she thinks before I drag her ass away'!"

Matthew still didn't offer any words.

Ellie turned around and started looking at the books on the other shelf, speaking even faster. "I mean, I could have fixed _everything_! But it took one act of saving someone's life and then all of a sudden, I'm knocked out!"

Matthew looked down for a moment before returning his gaze to Ellie.

Ellie threw three books to the ground. She was practically shouting now. "I saved someone's life and all control was taken away from me! Maybe if I had just gone on instead of jumping on that fucking bus to save Joel's life, I would have been able to make my own choices!"

Ellie threw five books to the ground at once. She finally stopped and turned around, breathing hard. Tears were forming in her eyes.

Matthew took a step forward.

Ellie collapsed to the ground. "I…" She lowered her voice and looked up at Matthew. "I didn't mean that. I swear to God, I didn't mean that."

Matthew knelt and grabbed her by the shoulders. "Ellie," he said gently.

Ellie took a deep breath and wiped the tears from her face.

Matthew tightened his grip on her shoulders. "Ellie, you matter. You matter to Joel. And you matter to me. Don't _ever_ think that you are alone."

Ellie suddenly hugged him.

Matthew returned the hug and didn't let go.

They stayed there for a few seconds before Ellie released Matthew and started to pick up the books.

Matthew joined her.

As they finished, Matthew spoke again. "I know this is none of my business, but I'm glad that you didn't die that day."

Ellie smiled sadly but made no reply.

 ** _…_**

They both stood and walked toward the stairs.

Ellie wiped her face again.

Matthew stopped before descending to the ground floor. "Are you good?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah," Ellie said, rubbing her face one more time. "I'm good now. Thanks for letting have my… moment."

"No problem."

They descended the stairs in silence. Ellie and Matthew started to gather up any supplies that they had left out the night before.

Ellie sat down on the wooden table with the chess board on it. "You know, Matthew?" she said, taking a small drink of water. "You're probably one of the best friends I've ever had."

"Well, I guess I'd have competition from other people who actually live in a civilized society," Matthew said slyly.

Ellie chuckled. "I didn't have any friends in the 'civilized society'."

"If you're done," Joel interrupted, moving out from behind a nearby bookshelf. "We should go soon. It's getting lighter."

Ellie looked down. _He heard everything._ She glanced at Matthew.

"I'll be outside," Matthew said gently. He exited the library.

Ellie ran her hands through her ponytail before looking at Joel. "What you heard… I didn't mean it. I don't want you…"

Joel reached forward and gently grabbed the young woman's hand.

Ellie didn't pull away.

Joel squeezed for a moment. "I know, kiddo."

Ellie took a breath of relief and let go. "We should get going," she agreed, grabbing her guitar.

Joel turned away as he grabbed his own guitar. He turned as he felt an extra weight added to his backpack.

"Let's go," Ellie said, zipping up Joel's backpack.

"Ellie, what are you doing?" Joel asked. He looked around and saw the case for the chess board was no longer on the table. Joel shook his head. "Ellie, no."

"Would you please try, Joel?" Ellie asked. "For me?"

Joel sighed and thought for a moment before speaking. "You have to practice guitar more."

Ellie glanced at the Joel's guitar case and pulled on her black sleeve to cover the bite. "Alright, fine. But _you_ have to play chess."

 ** _…_**

Matthew looked up from his map as Ellie and Joel exited the library.

Matthew smiled. _They look happy. Good._

Ellie stopped halfway to Matthew. "Shit. I forgot my backpack. I'll be back in a sec."

Joel continued toward Matthew as the young man folded up the map. Both knew full well that Ellie hadn't 'forgotten' anything.

Matthew offered Joel the map.

The older man grabbed the map and shoved it into his backpack. "You know where we're going?"

Matthew shrugged. "Not exactly. You said we wanted to follow the Mississippi river north, then find a crossing. I don't know which one though. But it's got to be pretty far north. I know for sure that a few of them are bombed out."

Joel looked into the distance. "Not bad, kid. We're crossing into the Quad Cities."

"That's not exactly my idea of staying out of cities and towns," Matthew said uncomfortably.

"That's the only crossing that I know is left," Joel replied, checking his pistol again. "The military bombed as many as the bridges as possible, trying to stop the infection from spreading. They only kept a few so they could travel between the zones. As it is, with all the uncharted territory and Infected, it could take some time."

"It is what it is, I guess," Matthew said with a sigh. "Let's just try to avoid the Michigan QZ. It was falling apart when I left."

"What zone isn't falling apart?" Joel grunted.

"Your zone in Wyoming looked like it was doing pretty well," Matthew said. He noticed the chess case in Joel's backpack as the older man zipped everything up. "You want to play again tonight?"

"Nothing's changed, kid," Joel said firmly.

"Ellie bribed you," Matthew said with a chuckle.

"She'll practice her guitar more if I play chess with you," Joel confirmed.

"So, this is more about gaining her trust than it is about developing trust in me," Matthew guessed.

"You can trust me to choose her life and safety over yours," Joel said, folding his arms. "Every time."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Matthew said simply. He looked into the distance for a moment. "Don't tell her I said that. She hates it."

"Okay, now we can go," Ellie said, rejoining them with a book tucked under her arm. She walked ahead, then stopped and turned to Joel. "Which way are we going?"

Joel pointed the way and Ellie continued.

"Don't go too far," Matthew warned.

"Whatever."

"Something tells me she always had the attitude," Matthew said.

"Yeah," Joel confirmed quietly.

Matthew turned forward, satisfied by the straight answer. _It's a start I guess._

"Kid," Joel started.

Matthew stopped and turned.

Joel looked him in the eye. "I know what you did during our game last night. Don't ever let me win like that again."


	54. Chapter 54

Summer:

July

 _I didn't see the bite marks on my mothers' neck. I didn't see the difference of color made by the Cordyceps Infection in my dead fathers' eyes. I only saw my sister holding a smoking gun. I took a step toward her as my hands clenched into tight fists._

Matthew snapped awake, his clenched right fist smashing into the already cracked car window beside him. "Dammit!"

A minute later, Ellie stepped into view, pulling the cloth over her bite and wearing the same clothes she'd found before they got to Texas. "Matthew?"

Matthew rubbed his eyes.

They were on a grassy road. It was filled with abandoned, broken-down vehicles. The moonlight reflected off shattered car windows. In the distance, they could see a large bridge.

"I'm fine, Ellie," Matthew said shorty.

"You don't look fine," Ellie said, reaching for Matthew's hand. "Your knuckles are bleeding."

Matthew tugged his hand away. "I'll be fine," he said pulling the dark blue sleeveless shirt he'd found earlier that night over his head. "You should go back to Joel. He's probably wondering—"

"Don't try and change the subject," Ellie snapped. "I've been listening. It's the same fucking nightmare that you've been having for the last month. All I can think is that it's got something to do with whoever you're looking for in Boston."

Matthew stood and raised his voice. "Ellie, I said I'm—"

Both turned as they heard a squealing sound followed by a series of clicking noises.

Ellie tossed Matthew his crossbow and pulled out her knife. "One Clicker," she said.

"Two Runners," Matthew added.

The Clicker ran into view and fell with loud series of clicks as Matthew's arrow was embedded in the Clicker's head.

A Runner hopped over a car a second later. Ellie threw Matthew's backpack, using the bag to stagger the Infected before lunging forward with her knife and burying it in the Runner's skull.

Ellie withdrew the knife and looked around. "I thought you said there were two Runn—watch out! "

Matthew turned in time to put his arm under the second Runner's neck and pushed it away. The Runner fell backward and attempted to rise. A combat knife stabbed through its neck. The Runner twitched a few times as blood came gushing out onto its killer's dark red flannel shirt and ripped jeans.

Joel withdrew his knife. "Get your shit. Let's go."

An hour later, the sun rose.

Joel led the way along the grassy road bordering the Mississippi River.

They could still see the bridge far in the distance.

Matthew and Ellie walked beside each other.

"I'm sorry about this morning," Matthew said, breaking the long silence.

"You're no fun when you wake up," Ellie observed. She shrugged. "It's fine. I was tired too."

"And you're right," Matthew admitted. "It's the same nightmare. Each time, it's in even greater… more realistic detail."

"Well, you know where to find me if you, you know, want to talk," Ellie said placing her hand around his shoulder.

Matthew nodded his thanks and was silent for a moment.

Ellie called ahead. "Joel, are we there yet?"

Joel stopped and grabbed his map, laying it out on the hood of a car. "We should be able reach the bridge tomorrow night," he said. "That's _if_ we don't run into any Infected."

At the end of the day, the bridge seemed a lot closer.

Matthew laid back on the roof of a nearby car. He closed his eyes, listening to Joel and Ellie playing their guitars. The music always soothed him. For the first time that day, he felt relaxed.

 ** _…_**

Joel and Ellie started to test out different combinations of notes.

They had finished practicing their song for the night. Once again, they didn't complete it, but they had progressed seven seconds further than ever.

"You're being quiet again," Joel observed.

"So?" Ellie asked.

Joel strummed another few notes. "When you're quiet, that means there's something on your mind."

Ellie set aside her guitar. "I read something last night in my science book or whatever it's called," she said. The young woman took a deep breath. "It said… well, from what I was able to figure out, it said we have genes in our DNA that determines everything about us."

"Eye color, hair color, and a whole lot of other stuff," Joel confirmed.

Ellie nodded. "Right. I managed to get that figured out. It also said that certain strands of our DNA are passed down. I was thinking…" Ellie put her hands together and leaned forward. "What if whatever is in my DNA helped me be immune? Do you think I could, you know, pass it down? I mean, by having kids?"

"Ellie," Joel said, putting down the guitar. "I don't think that this should be your responsibility. It never should have been."

"Could you please just answer the question?" Ellie asked, staring at the ground.

"Honestly, I don't know," Joel said. "Science was never my strong suit. Tommy was the one who got A's in science and math."

"What are A's?"

"Not important," Joel replied. "The point is that I'm not educated enough to answer that question."

"Okay," Ellie said mischievously. "You go back to Jackson and ask Tommy. And Matthew and I will meet you in Boston."

"Nice try."

"But seriously," Ellie said, fidgeting with her fingers. "Do you think—"

Joel held up a hand. "Ellie, I wish had all the answers, but I don't," he said sadly as he reached over and touched her arm. Ellie looked up as he continued. "I don't want this to hang over you your entire life. You need to learn to let go of the past. I know you hate hearing me say that, but you need to try."

Ellie was silent for a moment.

They stared into the fire.

Ellie looked at Joel and calmly removed the cloth covering her bite. "Look at this. In your world, I'd have to hide. I'd have to hide it every single day. It's never going to leave me."

Joel leaned forward, intertwining his fingers. "That doesn't mean that it needs to control—"

Ellie shook her and placed the cloth on her arm again. "There are very few people in that world who would accept me for what I am."

Joel glanced at Matthew a short distance away.

The young man was laying on the hood of a car, gazing at the stars above.

"Is that why you're so attached to the boy?" Joel asked. He tried to keep his voice even. "Because you think he understands you?"

"He doesn't look at me as if I'm different," Ellie replied just as calmly. "I feel normal when I'm with him."

There was a full ten seconds of silence.

"You're not planning on coming home after all this," Joel said. He started picking at the grass on the ground. "You want to go with him, don't you?"

Ellie sighed and shook her head. "I don't know. I just don't think I belong in your world," she said.

Joel remained silent.

Ellie motioned to their surroundings. " _This_ is all I've known."

"I know it would be hard going back," Joel said. "But we can do it together."

Ellie didn't answer.

Joel leaned back. _I should let this drop… for now. But I can't let her leave with him._ "Do you want to practice anymore tonight?" he asked.

"I think I'll go for a walk," Ellie said, carefully placing her guitar in its case and standing. "Maybe there's some more supplies in the cars around here. I'll let Matthew know that you're ready for your chess game."

 ** _…_**

Ellie walked towards the car Matthew was lying on.

The young man's eyes were closed.

Ellie smiled, licked the end of her index finger, and slowly brought it toward his ear.

"Don't even think about it," Matthew said, his eyes still closed.

"Is there a time when you _aren't_ hearing everything," Ellie asked dramatically.

"Not when I'm awake."

"How's your knuckles?" Ellie asked.

"Healed enough," Matthew replied, opening his eyes.

"Maybe you should stop falling asleep near hard objects," Ellie suggested.

"Maybe," Matthew said. He sat up. "How was practice?"

Ellie shrugged. "It was better. But not good."

"Well, let me know when the big performance is," Matthew said, hopping off the truck. "I look forward to it."

"I'm going to take a look at some of these cars. See if can find some drinks or medicine or something," Ellie said. She started to walk away. "I'll see you in the morning."

 ** _…_**

Matthew sat down as Joel finished setting up the chess pieces.

They played for ten minutes before Joel spoke. "What were you two fighting about this morning?"

"Same reason we usually fight," Matthew said casually as he made another move. "One of us is trying to be helpful, the other overreacts. Check."

Joel moved his king out of danger.

Matthew looked at the board for a moment. "We've had these spats more times than I can count," he continued, moving his knight out of danger. "You know what I've noticed?"

Joel took one of Matthew's knights before answering. "That you can't stand to be mad at each other because you don't want to be alone?"

"Pretty much," Matthew said, once again moving a knight back. "There's no side that's right or wrong. One person wants answers that the other is not willing to give."

They played in silence for another few moves.

"What do you think?" Matthew asked. He cautiously moved a pawn forward. "Should one give the other answers?"

"She doesn't owe you anything, kid," Joel said as he took the pawn with his bishop. Matthew retaliated by taking the bishop. Joel moved his queen again before speaking. "But you're bringing her into harm's way. If these nightmares have anything to do with who you're looking for in Boston, you owe her some answers."

Matthew moved his knight, distracted by Joel's answer.

Joel took the knight with his queen.

"Stupid move on my part," Matthew muttered. He moved his king back a space. "I do owe her answers. I can't exactly argue with that. But what about you? Do I owe you answers?"

Joel didn't hesitate, moving his castle across from Matthew's king, cornering it. "I don't give two shits about your past," he said. "Checkmate."

Matthew nodded and put away the game as Joel doused the fire.

Ellie returned and set a few bottles of alcohol and some rags on the ground. "Found these."

"Nice work," Joel said. "We'll divvy it up in the morning."

Ellie found a soft spot on the side of the road a short distance way. She laid down and placed her backpack under her head.

Matthew clipped the crossbow to his belt and grabbed his own backpack.

"Kid," Joel said before Matthew turned away. The boy looked at him. Joel lowered his voice. "When I want answers, I'll get answers."


	55. Chapter 55

It was dark by the time they reached the bridge into the Quad Cities the following night.

The trio stood at the edge of the highway. The bridge was littered with corpses and wrecked vehicles.

Matthew glared at the ground and shook his head.

Ellie looked across the bridge, noting the bodies with foreboding. "What the hell happened here?"

"When the world fell apart and the military set up the zones," Joel explained. "They would bomb the major bridges to stop people from coming in. They were trying to contain the Infected. The bridges they didn't bomb became shooting grounds."

"The people who tried to get in got shot," Matthew spat, disgusted. "Contain the Infected. Shut out those who weren't. No wonder there's so few of us left."

Matthew looked around. His companions were giving him perplexed, if not concerned looks.

Even Joel looked surprised at his sudden vehemence.

Matthew looked at the city across the bridge. "I don't like this," he said finally. "How do we know that place is empty?"

"We don't," Joel said. "But this is the only crossing for days."

"Let's just get this over with," Matthew said, tapping his crossbow.

Joel nodded and led the way across the bridge.

Ellie put a hand on Matthew's shoulder. "He is trying to help," she said gently. "You know that, right?"

"I know," Matthew assured her.

 ** _…_**

By the time the trio had crossed the bridge, the moon had risen enough that it lit the way across the bridge.

They walked in silence until they were in the middle of the city and found themselves in what used to be a farmer's market. There were empty wooden tables and tents along both sides of the street. Small alleys separated several of the buildings.

Ellie noticed abandoned restaurants and other old tourist attractions. She looked at her companions.

Matthew was keeping his eyes on their surroundings.

Joel slowed his pace and shot Matthew an annoyed look. "What's the problem, kid?"

"Something's not right," Matthew said, looking at the buildings above him.

"You're just twitchy," Joel grumbled. "We'll be fine."

Ellie started to look around as well. She kept her eyes on the shadows. Suddenly, one moved. "Joel, Matthew, we have to—"

Suddenly, adults dressed in ripped, faded clothing came streaming out of the buildings, surrounding Ellie, Joel, and Matthew before they could make another move. The trio found themselves being tugged and pulled to all sides.

"Joel!" Ellie called.

Joel reached for Ellie but was quickly tugged away.

Matthew stepped forward to help Joel and was rewarded with a sharp punch to the face from a large man in ragged clothing. Matthew fell to the ground and attempted to rise.

The crowd was shouting now.

"Get them!"

"Grab their clothes!"

"Go for the pockets!"

"Get their backpacks."

Joel's hands were tugged behind his back.

An older man and a woman grabbed both of Ellie's arms as another man tried to grab at her backpack.

Matthew rose to his feet. "Hey! Let go of her!"

Unable to reach her knife, Ellie continued to kick and lash out with the back of her head.

Matthew charged forward, punching the man holding Ellie's left arm and kicking the woman restraining her right arm.

Ellie manage to headbutt the man behind her. Two younger men took his place, grabbing her under each arm from behind.

Ellie attempted to tug her arms loose. "You motherfuckers! Let go of me!"

Matthew elbowed another man and tried to get around Ellie. One of the men holding her tripped on debris, allowing Ellie to get free.

Joel was punched in the face and fell to the ground.

Ellie tried to make her way too him but was grabbed from behind again and thrown through the glass door of the restaurant behind her.

 ** _…_**

Joel saw Ellie slump to the ground and rose to his feet, shoving a man to the side.

Matthew ran into the man who and thrown Ellie and tackled him to the ground, punching him once in the face. Another man grabbed Matthew from behind. Matthew kicked off a bench in front of him with both feet, sending them all sprawling.

A smaller man charged toward Matthew and was rewarded with a kick to the teeth.

Joel threw another man away and attempted to get to Ellie as well.

As Matthew rose, a woman in the mob picked up a piece of broken glass and slashed at his left arm. Matthew let out a scream of pain and grabbed his arm. The crowd wasted no time in tackling Matthew to the ground. Two men began to beat him.

Joel got a hand free and spun. He managed to reach into his belt and grasp his gun, firing a shot at the ground. The man beside him froze and Joel pointed the gun up in the air, firing off two more rounds.

Everyone froze and there was silence.

Joel quickly moved to Ellie. He grabbed her arm, allowing her to rise to her feet, all the while keeping his gun trained on the crowd around them.

Ellie wiped the sweat from her face and made sure her right arm was covered. "I'm fine."

"Get the kid and head down the alley," Joel ordered.

Ellie ran to Matthew, shoving two men aside. "Get the fuck away from him."

Ellie helped Matthew to his feet. He grabbed his crossbow and trained it on the crowd as Ellie retrieved her bow and her guitar. Matthew slowly reached down with one hand and grabbed Joel's guitar.

Ellie and Matthew joined Joel. The mob looked to be made up of about thirty people. Ellie, Matthew, and Joel moved toward an alley between two large buildings.

Matthew led the way.

Joel kept his gun trained on the mob.

They were forced to stop a few seconds later.

An older man with a long white beard, grey rags, and a cracked cane blocked Matthew's path.

Matthew raised his crossbow. "I don't want to hurt you. Please move."

Someone in the crowd spoke. "It's just one gun and a couple of bows! We can take them. Then we can take—"

"Enough!" the man in front of Matthew shouted. "That's enough, Gilbert. The Overseers would have heard the gun shots. Everyone, go back to your homes."

A woman from the crowd spoke. "We can't just—"

The old man banged his cane on the ground. "Serena, you know the law! Anyone caught outside will be shot. _I_ will deal with the trespassers."

"What do you mean, 'deal' with us?" Ellie asked. She drew back an arrow.

The old man raised his hand. "Calm, young one. We must get off the streets."

Ellie and Matthew looked to Joel for a decision. He nodded and lowered his gun to his side.

The crowed slowly began to disperse, falling back into the shadows and buildings along the street.

The old man holding the cane motioned with his hand. "Come. Now."

Joel, Ellie, and Matthew allowed the old man to lead them through a few alleys to the side of an abandoned bar. He walked slowly and without grace.

The old man opened the door and motioned them inside. "Get downstairs."

Ellie led the way, keeping an eye on the corners.

Joel moved aside so Matthew could pass. He noticed a large, bleeding cut on the boy's arm. Matthew followed Ellie down the stairs at the other end of the building.

Joel pointed his gun at the old man. "You first," he demanded. "Anything happens to them…" Joel left the statement unfinished.

The man nodded and limped forward, his cane echoing softly on the wood floor.

When Joel reached the cellar at the bottom of the stairs, he saw that Ellie had set aside her weapon and turned on her flashlight. The cellar was empty aside from rats, spiders, a couple chairs, a few scrap pieces of paper on an overturned box, several partially opened cases of alcohol, and some crates.

Matthew winced as he sat down. "That's gonna scar," he said, looking at the cut on his arm.

"It's not that bad," Ellie said, examining the wound. "Don't let it get infected, though."

Joel ignored them and grabbed the old man, sitting him down on an empty chair. "Time to talk. Who are you?"

"It's okay," The old man said, calmly setting his cane aside. "I mean you no harm. My name is Joseph." The old man extended his hand.

Joel didn't move.

Joseph lowered his hand. "I understand your reluctance. This was not how I would have wanted to greet new travelers. What are your names?"

"I'm not willing to give out that information," Joel replied, taking a seat in another chair.

"Yeah, especially when we were almost torn apart by an angry mob," Ellie added angrily.

The old man looked at Matthew, who was now pressing a cloth to his wound.

Joseph looked at Joel. "Your son needs to make sure that wound doesn't get infected. There are a few bottles of whiskey in the crate behind me. May I?"

"I'll get it," Joel said. "Don't move."

Joel reached behind Joseph's chair and grabbed the crate, slowly opening it and pulling out a bottle. He examined it for a moment before tossing the alcohol to Matthew. The young man caught it with his unhindered hand.

"I don't drink," Matthew said.

Ellie sniggered.

"That's good," Joel said. "Now is not the time to be cute with me, kid. Disinfect the wound."

Ellie grabbed the bottle and opened it before handing it to Matthew.

"Shit!" Matthew exclaimed poured the alcohol onto his arm, disinfecting the wound.

Ellie gave his hand a light squeeze.

"We're leaving," Joel said, turning his attention to Joseph.

"I'm sorry," Joseph replied. "But you can't."

Ellie rose and stood beside Joel. "You threw me through a glass door. You'd better give us a damn good reason to stay."

Joel grabbed the man by his torn cloak. "Maybe we could use you as collateral to pass through," he suggested.

Joseph didn't attempt to escape Joel's grasp. "I am not your enemy," the older man said. "And neither are my people."

"My arm disagrees," Matthew said, tying a piece of cloth around his wound. "But my friends can have short tempers. I suggest you tell us why we can't leave."

Everyone froze as they heard footsteps overhead.

Joseph put a finger to his lips.

They heard voices upstairs.

"I thought I heard something."

"You're crazy. Besides, even if there were intruders in the city, the peasants would kill them for us."

Joel released Joseph and quietly moved to the base of the stairs. He pointed his gun at the door with one hand. He used his other hand to push Ellie behind him.

Ellie responded by drawing back an arrow.

The voices overhead continued.

"But what about that Joseph guy? He's got a lot of pull."

A third man joined the conversation. "Shut up, you morons. Pull doesn't mean shit here. We have all the cards. Let's get back to the bank. We'll look again tomorrow morning."

The footsteps and voices moved away.

Joel and Ellie didn't relax until the voices were gone.

Matthew let out a breath. "Hunters. Great," he grumbled. He looked at Joseph. "Are these the 'Overseers' you mentioned?"

"Yes," Joseph confirmed. "It's a long story."

Ellie trained her bow on the man. "Make it short."

The old man nodded and gathered his cloak around him. "Seven years ago, this was a fully functioning Quarantine Zone. Five years ago, the soldiers pulled out and were assigned to new zones. We were left behind to salvage what we could."

"Get to the point," Joel grunted.

Joseph nodded passively and continued. "The soldiers left most of the ration cards. We rebuilt this city from the ground up. We formed our own democracy. Because of my past history as governor, I was chosen by my people to lead us."

Joel glanced at Ellie, who still hadn't relaxed.

Matthew put a hand on her shoulder.

Ellie slowly lowered the bow.

Joseph spoke again. "For a short time, we lived in peace. Then, three years ago, we started being raided by 'Hunters' as you call them. We fought back but lost many men and women in the process."

Matthew and Ellie glanced at each other.

Joel continued to listen.

Joseph looked down. "I… I was a fool," the old man said as he shook his head in grief and regret. "I made a deal with them. We would provide the Overseers with food and shelter. They would provide us protection."

"Why would you trust them?" Ellie pressed.

"I was scared for my people," Joseph answered. He sighed. "That is no excuse. The Overseers were true to their word, for a while. Then they made their intentions clear. They used their guns to take over. Now they are the 'Overseers' and we are only peasants. We fight every day to support both them and ourselves."

"We were attacked out of desperation," Matthew concluded.

"This doesn't explain what we're still doing here," Joel said gruffly. "They listened to you. Tell them to let us go and we'll be on our way."

Joseph grabbed his cane and rose, pacing the cramped basement. "I'm sorry, but you can't leave. These are good people here," he said firmly. "Some of them have children and families to feed. My influence is great. But, regretfully, it is not enough."

"So, this is a game of trust," Matthew surmised. "And we're just pawns."

"The faith that these people have in me hangs by a thread," Joseph explained. He turned to Joel. "I was able to stop them tonight. But, as you've seen, they are desperate. If I try let you go with nothing in return, they will stop listening to me. They will kill you. They will destroy themselves."

"Great," Ellie said, sitting down next to Matthew. "We're fucked."

"Maybe not," Joseph said with a hint of hope. "My people are not savages. They haven't become beasts yet. There is still a chance for change."

"You sound like a Firefly," Joel commented.

"I'm just an old man," Joseph said, shaking his head as he sat down again. "The truth is… I need your help."

Joel looked at Ellie and Matthew before returning his gaze to the old man, speaking through gritted teeth. "How many are there?"

"Twelve."

"Twelve?" Ellie repeated. "Are you fucking kidding me? You outnumber them fifty to one. Find them, kick their asses, and rebuild your city yourself!"

"There's more," Joseph said gravely.

"There always is," Matthew grunted.

"They have all of our ration cards," Joseph said. "At least a thousand. We based our economy on the trading of ration cards."

The old man reached into his cloak.

Ellie immediately trained her bow on him again.

Matthew looked at her in surprise.

Joel raised his gun slightly.

Joseph slowly extracted a rolled-up piece of paper.

After a moment, Ellie lowered the bow.

Joseph flattened the paper on a crate, revealing the faded blueprints of a bank. "I've seen it," the old man said. "They have all the stockpiled ration cards in a vault with an electronic keypad. They've hooked it up to a generator."

"So, you need the code," Joel grunted. "And you don't want your people to have to get it from them."

Joseph nodded.

Joel put a hand on his face. "Tell me everything you know about these Overseers."

 ** _…_**

Matthew leaned close to Ellie as Joseph and Joel began to speak in quiet voices. "Can I speak to you a minute?" the young man asked.

Ellie nodded and walked up the stairs.

Joel glanced up at Matthew.

Matthew grabbed his crossbow. "We'll be back in a second."

When they reached the top of the stairs, Matthew glanced around to make sure they were alone and away from all the windows. Satisfied, he looked at Ellie. "What's going on?" he asked.

"Nothing," Ellie said, giving him a confused look. "What are you talking about?"

Matthew sat on a rusted chair. "I don't know. Your just tense, that's all. The old man seems harmless enough."

Ellie sat down on a stool next to him, keeping her eye on the bar's exit. "It's not him… not really. He just reminds me of someone I met once. He seemed okay too. At first."

"The man you trusted when you were on your own in winter," Matthew guessed.

"Yeah," Ellie said bitterly. "He had people and influence too. Plus, this situation is a lot more complicated."

"Not really," Matthew argued. "These people need help. We need out."

"You think we should help?" Ellie asked.

"I don't know," Matthew said truthfully. "What do you think we should do?"

Ellie looked down and took a deep breath.

 ** _…_**

Joel looked up as Ellie and Matthew descended the stairs. He looked at Joseph.

Before he could say a word, Ellie spoke. "We should help."

"Ellie, it's too dangerous," Joel said, partially turning to her. "We stand a better chance of just running."

Ellie grabbed her backpack and put it around her shoulders. "You got us into this," she said defiantly. "This is the best way of getting us out."

"It's took risky," Joel said, bringing her aside as Matthew glanced at Joseph.

Ellie folded her arms and spoke with mock astonishment. "Oh my God! They're trying to create a small, civil society despite the shitty world around them! I've never heard of such a thing! Have you?"

 ** _…_**

Matthew made his way to the other side of the cellar as Ellie and Joel continued to argue.

The young man began examining the blueprints of the bank. He ignored Joseph, who was watching him curiously.

Matthew started tracing his fingers on the blueprints, murmuring to himself. "The vault is in the basement. Two probably guard the entrance to the building. Two inside the door. One probably guards the stairwell. The rest would be downstairs. Sleeping quarters would probably be near the vault as well. Top floor…"

 ** _…_**

Joel ran his hand through his beard. "I hope you're not doing this because—"

"I want to do this because it's the right thing to do," Ellie interrupted. "Tommy always talked about what good things would happen if more zones tried to be like Jackson. Let's give these guys a fucking shot."

Joel took a deep breath. "Fine, you win. But when we get there, you stay on my ass."

"Yeah, sure. No problem," Ellie grumbled. "That'll make it much easier to kick."

Joel gave her a look.

Ellie ignored him and walked up to Matthew, who folded up the blueprints and handed them to Joseph.

Joseph rose.

"May I ask what 'Jackson' is?" the old man asked.

"Jackson is what you're trying to be," Ellie replied. She folded her arms. "So, while we're doing all the dirty work, where will you be?"

"Informing my people of our plan."


	56. Chapter 56

When Joel, Ellie, and Matthew reached the top of the stairs, they were met by three large men, all of whom looked cautious and ready for a fight.

Joseph held up a hand and the men relaxed.

The old man turned to Joel, Ellie, and Matthew. "The bank is a half mile west of here," Joseph informed them. He motioned to the three men. "These men will escort you there. They will return to me when you're finished."

After setting aside the guitars, Joel, Ellie, and Matthew made their way to the bank. When it came into view, the three men fell back.

The trio continued on alone. They ducked down behind an abandoned car across the street from the bank. There were two men guarding the closed double doors leading inside. They wore ragged clothing that all three of the travelers have come to associate with Hunters.

Joel looked over the car and saw that the Hunters were lounging on two chairs on either side of the doorway with their pistols resting in their laps.

The parking lot surrounding them was still filled with cars. There were several cars parked close together to the left of the doorway. The trio ducked back down.

"They're not well armed," Joel observed.

Ellie glanced over the car again. "That doesn't mean anything."

Joel looked down the alley where their escorts had disappeared. He could just barely make out their shadows. _Dammit. No chance of leaving._

Matthew checked his crossbow. "Well, overconfidence makes you stupid. Still, I don't want to take any chances," he agreed. "One of us can take the left and use the cars for cover. We can take these guys out from both sides."

Joel looked to the right of the street. "Not much cover on the right side."

Ellie placed her bow on the ground and grabbed an empty beer bottle off the ground. "I've got an idea. Joel, take the left side. Matthew, you're probably quicker, so you take the right. The second I distract them, you two can kill those fuckers."

Joel shot Ellie an annoyed look.

"What?" Ellie asked. "I said Matthew was _probably_ quicker."

Joel shook his head and began to use the cover of the cars to make his way around to the left side of the doorway. He stopped occasionally before traversing the small gaps between the cars.

 ** _…_**

Ellie glanced at Matthew and weighed the bottle in her hand. "Ready?"

Matthew crouched low and readied himself.

Ellie looked at Joel to make sure he was in cover.

Joel crouched lower.

Ellie looked at Matthew. "Go."

Matthew took off.

Ellie quickly rose and threw the bottle. It landed on a car to the left of the bank's doorway.

The Hunters looked over. "What was that?" one asked.

Matthew used this distraction to make his way behind the Hunter on the right.

The other Hunter shrugged. "Wait here."

 ** _…_**

One of the Hunters moved toward the source of the sound of the breaking bottle.

Joel quietly backtracked behind another car. The Hunter stopped a few feet from Joel, who held his breath.

The guard who remained at the door craned his head. "See any—"

The voice was cut off. The guard near Joel turned. "What the fu—"

Joel drew his own knife and rose. He grabbed the man from behind and stabbed downward. Joel extracted his knife and looked up as Matthew extracted his own knife from the second Hunter.

They slowly moved toward the door.

 ** _…_**

Ellie let out a breath of relief. Then she noticed movement around the right side of the bank behind Matthew. "Shit!"

Ellie quickly grabbed her bow and let loose an arrow. The arrow embedded itself the Hunter's head. The man fell to the ground in a heap.

Ellie made her way to Matthew as Joel vaulted over the car.

Matthew grabbed his bow. "Thanks, Ellie."

"That's three dead," Joel grunted.

Ellie reached into the car next to the door and broke off a cracked rear-view mirror. She opened the door slightly and used the mirror to discreetly peer inside the bank before backing up and rising to her feet.

"There's one behind the desk," she whispered. "And another standing close to the right side of the door."

"I can take the guy behind the desk," Matthew said, gripping his crossbow tighter.

Joel positioned himself to the right of the double doors. "We have to get the doorman's attention."

"That's simple enough," Ellie said.

Matthew leveled his crossbow as Ellie walked up to the door and knocked loudly five times in rapid succession before turning around and standing behind Joel.

A Hunter slammed the door open.

Joel reached from behind and tugged the Hunter out of sight while wrapping his arm around the man's neck and applying pressure.

Matthew kicked open the second door. The Hunter at the desk barely had time to rise before Matthew sent an arrow through his neck. The man sagged against the back wall as Joel snapped his own Hunter's neck.

The trio walked into the lobby area, each training their weapons on a separate doorway.

When they saw that the lobby was clear, Matthew moved toward the door that led to the stairs. "Alright, that's five of them dead," he said.

"We should stick together and head straight to the vault," Joel said.

"We don't want anyone sneaking up on us," Matthew argued. "Ellie, can you handle the top floor?"

"Sure," Ellie said. She looked at Joel and raised an eyebrow, daring him to argue.

Joel opened the door. There were two flights of stairs, one leading to the top floor and the other to the basement.

Joel glanced up the stairs, then at Ellie. "You'd better get to it," he said with a guarded expression.

Ellie gave him a confused look before walking up the stairs.

 ** _…_**

Joel and Matthew waited until Ellie had started to ascend the stairs before moving.

Joel made sure the way forward was clear before speaking. "There won't be anyone on the top floor," he said quietly.

"That's what I'm hoping for," Matthew said as they moved down the stairs. "I read the blueprints."

"She's going to be pissed."

"She'll get over it," Matthew said with a shrug. "I want her safe as much as you do, sir."

Joel grunted and shook his head as they descended the second set of stairs. "What makes you think _you_ deserve the right to make decisions for her?"

"I don't. And I don't _deserve_ her either," Matthew replied calmly and firmly. "But I've never tried to claim her."

Matthew put his hand on the doorknob.

Joel pressed his hand against the door to prevent it from opening.

Matthew looked at Joel.

Joel removed his hand and gave Matthew a look of warning. "Be careful, kid."

Matthew nodded and opened the door.

 ** _…_**

Ellie opened the door to the top floor.

The top floor was a large room with small offices to the left and to the right. The offices were separated by windows, walls, and doors made of transparent glass.

Ellie slowly moved into the room.

 ** _…_**

Joel moved in, looking left and right.

In front of him was a hallway with an office on the right and two connecting offices on the left. Along the walls of the hall, there were a few potted plants.

At the end of the hall was an unused generator connected to a homemade outlet. The outlet potentially provided electricity to a keypad located next to the vault door. The area was lit by moonlight that filtered through a few of the half-windows on the wall inside the offices.

Joel moved right.

 ** _…_**

Matthew moved into the hallway and worked his way left.

The left side of the hall only contained a small office to the right and a restroom on the left.

Matthew glanced around the corner into the office at the end of the hall and saw a Hunter dosing in a chair, facing the other direction. There was a gun hanging limply in the man's hand.

Matthew crouched to the ground, moving as close as he dared before grabbing the man and snapping his neck.

The gun toppled to the carpeted floor. Matthew listened hard for a moment. After a few seconds of silence, he relaxed.

 ** _…_**

Joel slowly moved toward the connected offices near the vault door.

Inside the nearest office, two Hunters were sleeping on make shift cots made of old money bills.

Joel froze when he heard two voices in the next office.

"No fucking way."

"Yeah, we got there and everyone was gone. I could have sworn I heard gunshots."

"Whatever, man."

 ** _…_**

Matthew ducked out of the office and moved back toward Joel.

Suddenly, the door to the restroom in front of him opened and Matthew ran forward.

He wasn't fast enough.

The man saw Joel.

 ** _…_**

Joel turned as the Hunter started to shout. "Hey! What the hell are you doing!"

Before Joel could react, Matthew grabbed the Hunter and threw him against the wall, burying his knife in the man's chest.

Joel turned and moved forward again as one of the talking guards ran around the corner out of the office ahead of him.

Joel quickly grabbed the man and spun him around, using him as a human shield. The second man froze momentarily. Joel raised his pistol and shot the man in the head before kneeing his hostage in the face and throwing him back into the office.

The Hunter's head connected with the desk, disorienting him completely.

 ** _…_**

Ellie glanced around another cubical. _Why would he even send me up here? The vault is downstairs. There shouldn't be anyone here._

Ellie snapped her head around when she heard a muffled gunshot below her feet.

Ellie moved toward the door. "Matthew, you lying, manipulative son of a—"

Ellie was grabbed roughly from behind.

 ** _…_**

Joel was thrown hard against the wall. His gun fell from his hand. One of the previously sleeping Hunters had awoken. The man grabbed one of Joel's arms and kneed him hard in the stomach.

The second, now awake Hunter, moved forward. Matthew came from behind and grabbed the man, throwing him in the opposite direction.

Joel blocked the punch from the first Hunter and twisted the man's arm. Joel tugged again and rammed the Hunter into the wall beside him.

Joel moved behind the Hunter next to him, grabbed his head, yanked back, and smashed the man's head back into the wall. Cartilage broke with a loud crunch as the man sunk to the ground, smearing blood along the wall.

Joel turned to see Matthew being punched hard in the face. The Hunter grabbed a dead potted plant and slammed it downward. Matthew put up a forearm to catch the brunt of the blow.

Joel ran forward and punched the man hard in the side of his face, causing him to fall to the ground.

Matthew rose as Joel stomped in the man's windpipe.

Joel walked by Matthew without a word as he moved to the vault.

"Thanks," Matthew said, wiping blood from his lip.

Joel stopped, shook his head, and turned around. "How can you keep her safe when you can barely handle yourself?" he asked sharply.

Matthew opened his mouth to reply.

The Hunter Joel had kneed and thrown back into the office swung around the corner with a gun in his hand.

Matthew quickly shoved Joel to the side and shot the man in the arm. The man screamed in pain and fell to the ground, dropping the gun. Matthew moved forward and pinned the Hunter to the ground with a boot.

Joel grabbed zip-ties from his pocket.

"We keep each other safe," Matthew replied calmly as he and Joel zip-tied the Hunter to an office chair.

The young man glanced around the room and then toward the stairs.

"Got something else you need to say?" Joel asked as he pinned the chair against a desk.

Matthew looked down for a moment before looking at Joel. "We got eleven," the young man said quickly. He ran to the stairs. "Ellie's been up there too long."

Joel considered following Matthew up the stairs but stopped short when the Hunter started to struggle in the chair.

 ** _…_**

Ellie was thrown over another desk and landed hard on her side. She coughed in pain. "Fuck!"

The large Hunter walked toward her again, chuckling.

Ellie reached for her back pocket but was grabbed again by her ponytail and kneed in the gut. She felt the air leave her body as she was once again thrown across the room.

The large Hunter attacking her kicked a chair out of the way. "You made a huge mistake coming here, little girl!" he taunted.

"Fuck you," Ellie grunted.

The Hunter smiled and took another step forward.

Ellie grabbed a chair and swung it at the man. The man grimaced in pain as the chair hit his shoulder. He tugged the chair out of Ellie's grasp and threw it aside before grabbing her by the neck.

The Hunter dragged Ellie toward a large window overlooking the street three stories below.

Ellie struggled and kicked out with her feet. The Hunter threw her against the window hard. Ellie's forehead hit the glass creating a small crack. Ellie fell to her hands and knees. The

Hunter was on her in moments, pinning her against the window.

Ellie reached down onto the desk next to her and grabbed a phone, clubbing the man hard in the head. The man loosened his grip. Ellie reached into her back pocket and grabbed her knife. Thrusting it into the crook of the Hunters left arm, she yanked the knife down to his wrist, creating a long cut the length of the man's limb.

The Hunter let go and grabbed at his arm as blood started to spray. Ellie rose to her feet and took a few steps back.

The Hunter gave her one last look of anger and collapsed to the ground.

Ellie took a moment to catch her breath. She placed her knife back in her pocket and grabbed her bow before walking toward the door to the stairs.

Matthew met her on the first landing.

"What took you so long?" Ellie asked sarcastically. She pushed him aside.

Matthew grabbed her arm and examined the new cut on her forehead.

Ellie glared at him. "You missed one," she said before giving him another shove and moving down the stairs.

Matthew descended the stairs behind her. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine," Ellie replied. "Just like you wanted when you sent me up there."

"I'm not sorry," Matthew said firmly.

"People who do shit like this never are," Ellie snapped. She descended the stairs to the basement. "But I thought you were different."

"You know what?" Matthew started. "I am sorry. I'm sorry that I care and that I didn't want you in any more danger than you had to be."

Ellie swung around as she reached the basement door. "You and I both know that you sending me up there had nothing to do with my ability to handle myself," she said quietly. "Next time you want me to help, _let_ me _help_."

"You're right," Matthew said after a short silence. "But that doesn't change what happened."

 ** _…_**

"What's the code?" Joel growled. Even now, he was barely able to resist the urge to follow Matthew upstairs.

The Hunter spat in Joel's face.

Joel kicked him in the chest, causing the chair to topple over.

Joel heard the entrance to the stairs open. He glared at the Hunter. "Stay put."

Joel met Ellie halfway down the hall. Her clothes were covered with blood and she had a small cut on her forehead.

"Are you okay?" Joel asked quietly so the Hunter wouldn't hear.

"It's not my blood," Ellie replied. "Not most of it anyway. Are we in yet or what?"

"I'm working on it."

"Did you ask nicely?" Ellie asked as Matthew walked ahead her and looked at the bound Hunter.

Joel turned around and reentered the office. He hauled the man upright in his chair. "What is the code?" he repeated.

"Fuck you!"

Joel punched him hard in the face. Blood sprayed out of the man's nose.

"Think about it for a moment," Joel said, leaning close. "Then I'll come back."

Joel exited the office, closed the door, and leaned up against the wall. "He'll tell us," he said in response to Ellie's skeptical look.

They stood in silence for a minute before Matthew unfolded his arms. "Let me try."

 ** _…_**

Matthew opened the door to the office and closed it behind him. "How's your nose?" he asked the Hunter, pulling up a chair.

The man didn't speak. He just fixed Matthew with a glare.

"I am a hell of a lot nicer than my… associate," Matthew informed the Hunter. He took out his knife.

The man leaned back slightly.

Matthew turned his knife in his hand. "I could use this to cut you free. All I need is the code. If you tell us the code to the vault, we'll let you go. You may even get away before your _peasants_ get a hold of you."

"You think opening the vault will help?" the Hunter laughed. "Without us, those weaklings will tear each other apart."

" _Us_ is _you_ ," Matthew said as he stood. "Your friends are no longer with us. If you don't work with me, you can talk to my associates."

"Associates?" the man stuttered with a hint of fear. "I thought there were only two of you."

Matthew smiled cruelly and left without a word. He closed the door behind him and leaned against it, deep in thought.

"This is getting old," Ellie muttered impatiently as she turned on the generator leading to the vault door.

"I've got an idea," Matthew said.

"Oh," Ellie said, folding her arms. "These are always good."

"What are you doing, kid?" Joel asked Matthew, tapping the wall behind him.

"You're going to love this," Matthew said to Ellie. He grabbed her right arm and removed the cloth covering her bite before turning to Joel. "I'm improvising."

 ** _…_**

The Hunter looked around, trying desperately to find a way to untie himself.

He rocked back and forth on the chair, tilted too far, and fell to the side.

The door slammed open and the young man walked into the room, speaking as he righted the Hunter in his chair. "You, my friend, are lucky."

The Hunter spat blood on the ground.

"Nice," the young man commented.

"You're lucky that I'm tied in the chair," the Hunter said, hoping he sounded tougher than he felt.

The young man grunted and walked behind the Hunter, producing a knife and cutting the zip-ties apart.

The Hunter stood and bolted for the door. The older man elbowed him in the face from the other side, completely breaking his nose.

The Hunter fell to the ground. "You bastards!" he screamed.

The young man knelt and put the knife to the Hunter's throat. "As I was saying," he said as the old man left the room. The young man grabbed the Hunter again. "You're a lucky man. You get a chance to escape. As I'm sure you know, there's a fire escape on the top floor. If you can get to it, you're free to go. And I do hope you have a chance to meet my _other_ associate."

The young man shoved a flashlight in Hunter's hands and threw him out the door.

The Hunter hit the ground running. He ran up the stairs, panting loudly. Within seconds, he reached the first floor and attempted to open the door. It was jammed from the other side. "Shit!"

The Hunter turned and ran up to the top floor. At the top of the stairs stood a figure hunched over in front of the door. It appeared to be a teenage girl with a sleeveless shirt and jeans. He could hear her ragged, broken breathing.

The Hunter fumbled with the flashlight. It slipped from his hand and fell to the ground with a loud crash. The ragged breathing stopped and the girl spun around. The Hunter quickly grabbed the flashlight and turned it on.

The first thing the light shined on was a bite on the girl's right arm. The Hunter turned and ran back down the stairs as the infected girl let out a squeal and began to stagger down the stairs behind him.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" the Hunter exclaimed. He reached the basement and banged on the door. "Let me in! Now!" He banged on the door again.

"Give me the code first," the young man said from the other side.

"Fuck! It's getting closer!" the Hunter cried as the infected girl started to stagger from step to step, slowly making her way to the bottom floor. "I'll tell you the code! Just let me in!"

"The code first," the boy said from the other side. "Once the vault is open, I'll let you in."

The Hunter turned and looked up the stairs. The infected girl had reached the second landing. She turned around and swung her arms at the air, screaming and squealing again.

The Hunter looked at the door again. "Okay! Okay!" he screamed. "It's three-one-zero, six-three-three, nine-one-zero-zero! It's the code! I swear!"

The girl turned again at the sound of his voice, searching the darkness. After what seemed like an eternity, the door opened and the young man charged forward, clamping a hand over the Hunter's mouth.

"I'm in!" the young man shouted up the stairs.

The Hunter watched as the door to the main floor opened and the infected girl was tugged out of sight. The Hunter heard a loud squeal, then sudden silence.

 ** _…_**

Matthew turned the Hunter around and put his knife to the man's throat. "The fire escape is still open," he said. "If you ever come back here, those people out there will kill you."

The Hunter nodded and took off up the stairs.

Matthew waited until he heard the loud slamming of the door to the top floor.

All was silent.

"Idiot," Matthew spat.

 ** _…_**

Ellie peeked through the lobby doors. "Can I come down now?"

"Um…" Matthew called from the bottom of the stairs. "I don't think I'm comfortable around you anymore."

Ellie opened the door with a small smile on her face.

Joel walked beside her, glancing uncomfortably at the top of the stairs. "Stay focused," he warned.

Ellie rolled her eyes, reentered the basement, and gave Matthew a high five. "Good idea," she said. "Can I have my sleeve back?"

Matthew tossed her the sleeve, made his way to the vault, and yanked the door open all the way.

"This whole thing was easier than I thought it would be," Joel admitted.

"Still feeling your age?" Ellie asked.

"Every day."

"Yeah," Ellie said with a chuckle. "Well at least it's not like Bill's town where every time you turned a corner there was a— Matthew, freeze!"

Matthew stopped mid-step. "What?" he asked nervously, standing in place with one leg in the air.

Ellie shined her flashlight on the entrance to the vault.

Joel cursed under his breath, grabbed Matthew under the arm, and moved him back.

"What exactly is this?" Matthew asked, kneeling down.

There were two objects on either side of the doorway. They were connected by a thin, black string. The strings supported small cups that held screws, nails, and scissors.

"Nail bombs," Joel said, kneeling as well.

"Holy shit," Ellie exclaimed softly.

There were two bombs stretching across the lower part of the door. It didn't leave any room for someone to crawl under. There were also four nail bombs spaced from the middle of the vault doorway to the top.

"Damn, these guys really were paranoid," Matthew said.

There was no room for anyone to get in, even crouched.

Beyond the nail bombs were two large flatbed carts full of ration cards.

"Can you disarm them?" Ellie asked Joel.

"No," Joel said, shaking his head. He took a deep breath. "It's time to go. We tried, but there's no way through this."

Ellie crouched next to the bombs and examined the door. "No, there has to be a way in. These guys wouldn't just leave a death trap with no way around it."

"Joel's right, Ellie," Matthew said with regret in his voice. "This was all about control. The Hunters were never going to give them any ration cards."

Ellie reached through the gap between the lower and middle bombs.

"You think we can make a run for it?" Matthew asked Joel.

Ellie managed to grab the underside of one of the flatbed carts inside the vault and slowly pulled it toward her.

Joel grabbed her arm and tugged her away.

"Joel, we can do this," Ellie said excitedly. She continued talking before Joel could interrupt. "I can grab a hold of the cart, one of you can lift my legs and push me in through the door, then I can hand the ration cards out to you."

"It's not worth the risk," Joel said firmly.

"Bullshit! I'm not a kid anymore, Joel!" Ellie argued. "I'm old enough to make my own decisions. We can do this. All I need is for one of you to help me."

Ellie looked to Matthew for help.

The young man folded his arms and kept his thoughts to himself.

Ellie took a step closer to Joel. "Joel, please," she begged quietly. "Just let me do this. I can do it."

There was a short silence before Joel spoke. "Fine. But be _very_ careful."

"Thank you," Ellie said with a hint of gratitude. She knelt and faced the vault.

Joel examined the gap and turned to Matthew. "I need your help," he said to the young man.

Ellie grabbed the underside of the cart. Joel and Matthew knelt as well. Joel grabbed one of Ellie's legs as Matthew grabbed the other.

"Are you ready?" Joel asked.

"Ready," Ellie replied.

Joel and Matthew lifted her legs and raised her off the ground. Ellie pulled down on the cart, attempting to balance her weight. After a moment, she began to push the cart backwards with the heel of her hands. Joel and Matthew slowly moved Ellie forward until her entire body was through the gap.

"Let go," Ellie said.

Joel and Matthew dropped Ellie safely to the ground with breaths of relief.

Ellie rose to her feet, looked at Joel, and gave him a thumbs up. "See? I told you it would be easy."

"Just get the ration cards," Joel replied.

"Quickly," Matthew added.

 ** _…_**

Joel watched Ellie as she spent the next fifteen minutes unloading the ration cards.

Matthew stood next Joel, also watching her progress.

"That uh, that trick with the bite earlier," Joel said quietly, breaking the silence. "That was a good idea."

"Thanks," Matthew said, relaxing slightly. "This is turning out to be a hell of a night, huh?"

"I'm still waiting for the 'I told you so'," Joel said challengingly, half turning to face the young man.

"Pettiness like that gets us nowhere," Matthew said with a shrug.

"Wise words," Joel grunted.

"I wouldn't exactly know much about being wise," Matthew replied, moving aside a large pile of ration cards with his foot. "I haven't exactly had a lot of role models in my life like Ellie has."

 ** _…_**

Ellie finished unloading the ration cards, moved a cart near the entrance, and climbed on top.

Matthew and Joel grabbed her arms and pulled, guiding her safely between the nail bombs.

"Ta da!" Ellie said, standing and giving them a bow as sat up.

The door to the stairwell opened.

Matthew and Joel had their weapons out instantly.

"Peace, my friends," Joseph said calmly as he walked into the basement, flanked by the large men who had escorted the trio to the bank.

Joel and Matthew slowly lowered their weapons.

Joseph walked passed them and grabbed Ellie's hand helping her off the ground.

Ellie's sleeve slid down her arm slightly, revealing her already partially exposed bite in its entirety.

Joseph froze as Ellie tugged the sleeve back down.

Nobody else had noticed.

Joseph stared at the covered arm for a moment.

Ellie saw fear and confusion flash across his features. Her hand lingered over her knife.

Joseph turned to his men. "Bring in more men," he said calmly. "We have much work to do. And our friends need to be on their way."

The men instantly cleared out of the room.

Nobody had noticed Ellie and Joseph's exchange.

Ellie walked past the old man and stood next to Matthew and Joel.

"What can we do to repay you?" Joseph asked gratefully.

Ellie grabbed her backpack and her bow. "How about you just let us go," she said tentatively.

A man entered the room and set down Joel and Ellie's guitars.

"Some of the weapons from the Hunter's would be nice," Matthew said, glancing at Joel. "And any loose change we can find on our way out of here."

"Anything else?" Joseph asked.

"Alcohol," Joel said. He glanced at Matthew's bandaged arm. "We're running short on medical supplies."

A short time later, Joseph escorted them to the edge of the city with their new supplies in tow.

Joel shook Joseph's hand and took the lead, walking toward the edge of the city.

Matthew shook Joseph's hand as well. "There was one Hunter that we let live," he informed the old man. "Don't look too hard for him. He's not worth it."

"My people have nothing more to fear from the Overseers," Joseph assured him.

Matthew nodded and began to walk behind Joel.

Ellie looked at Joseph and nodded before turning way.

Joseph leaned on his cane. "Irony is a strange thing," he said.

"Excuse me?" Ellie asked, turning to face the old man.

"That which has been destined to destroy us, comes to save us," Joseph said, motioning to Ellie's bitten arm.

Ellie looked down for a moment before looking Joseph in the eye. "Good luck," she said genuinely. "Your people deserve this chance."

"May your travels be safe, child," the old man said.

"Not likely," Ellie replied. She turned toward Joel and Matthew. "But thanks anyway."


	57. Chapter 57

Ellie, Joel, and Matthew made camp a few miles outside of the city in a small abandoned house located in the suburbs.

They had divvied up the supplies and were currently sitting around a small fire.

Ellie sat against the wall across from Joel, fidgeting with her bite.

Matthew had gone outside to check for any presence of Infected or Bandits.

Joel zipped up his backpack and looked at Ellie, who continued to fidget with her arm.

Joel leaned forward. "Are you okay, kiddo?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Ellie said, jumping at the sound of his voice. She let go of her arm. They were silent for a moment before Ellie spoke again. "He saw my bite. Joseph, I mean."

"When?" Joel asked. He glanced at the window.

"Back in the bank," Ellie answered. She leaned back against the wall. "He saw it and didn't say anything. When we were leaving the city, he said something weird. He said that I was 'destined to destroy them' and I ended up 'saving them'. I mean, what the fuck does that mean? It wasn't just me."

"Maybe it just means that your bite doesn't define you," Joel said. He raised an eyebrow. "Your boyfriend sure found a use for it."

"So, does that mean you like him now?" Ellie asked hopefully. She chose to ignore the teasing title.

Matthew walked in the door before Joel could reply. "It's clear," the young man said.

"Where are we going again?" Ellie asked, changing the subject.

"We go northeast, up to Lake Michigan," Joel explained. "From there, we stay on the great lakes until we get close to Massachusetts."

Ellie grabbed a water bottle from her backpack and took a drink before speaking. "How long will that take?"

"It'll take a while," Joel said quietly. "But, hopefully, it'll be safer."

"Safer seems good right about now," Matthew said, sitting down.

Ellie yawned and got up. "So does sleep. I'll see you guys in the morning."

 ** _…_**

The next morning, Matthew yawned and rubbed his eyes, trying to shake off another nightmare.

Early morning light filtered in through the shattered windows of the house.

Matthew opened the door to the room he had barricaded himself in.

Ellie was still asleep on the couch.

Joel was already awake. The older man had rags and a few bottles of alcohol lying on the floor in front of him.

"What are you making?" Matthew asked, sitting with his back against the couch.

"Molotov's," Joel said as he stuffed a rag through an open bottle. "Basically, they're bombs."

Matthew grunted and gazed at the floor.

"You don't like bombs or guns," Joel said with a shake of his head. "How did you survive this long?"

"By staying away from explosions and bullets," Matthew said dryly. He rubbed his healed gunshot wound. "Well, mostly. I haven't held a gun in years."

"Why not?" Joel asked as he completed another Molotov.

Matthew was silent for a moment, unsure if Joel would accept his past.

Joel didn't look away.

Matthew nodded to himself. "Well, after I… I was in the military for a while," he said, choosing to keep some of his past to himself. "They taught me how to fight and how to shoot."

Joel started making another Molotov.

Matthew knew he was listening and continued. "Once they let me out in the field, I found that I didn't… agree with their methods of fighting the infection."

"Nobody does," Joel said, not looking up.

Matthew grunted and let out a breath. The bitterness he felt entered his voice. "They would march people out of their homes and execute them. They didn't care who was watching. If anyone resisted or complained, they died."

"I spent years in Boston," Joel said as he placed the completed Molotovs in his backpack. "The military there wasn't any different. I saw the same thing."

Matthew forced himself to continue. "So I left. I moved to another zone and joined the Fireflies.

"You were a Firefly?" Joel asked, surprised.

Matthew let out a breath. "Yeah. I needed something to fight for. Maybe I was just avoiding… anyway, I spent a while with them."

Joel started on the next Molotov.

Matthew leaned forward, gazing into the fire. "One day, I was handed a gun and they sent me out into the field. I was instructed to…" Matthew stopped speaking. He shook his head and chuckled at the irony. "It's funny. The assignment was pretty similar to what we did last night. The military in the zone that I was stationed in was withholding ration cards. My squad sent to take out the guards and redistribute the cards."

"Sounds like cause worthy of a Firefly," Joel muttered sarcastically under his breath.

Matthew shook his head slightly. "That's what I thought. At first, I was excited," he said regretfully. The young man looked down, casting his face in shadow. "Then, I saw two bystanders. A mother and her child were walking toward the ration storage unit. I tried to stop the assault, but nobody would listen. I tried to run out myself and get them to cover."

Joel flashed an unclear look in Matthew's direction but made no comment.

Matthew sighed. "I may have as well have started the Goddamn shooting myself. The soldiers saw me. My squad attacked. And when the smoke cleared, the mother and her child were on the ground."

Joel looked down again, his expression even more guarded.

Matthew rubbed his eyes in an attempt to stop the tears. "I never want to pick up a gun again. I can still hear the ringing in my ears. I can still feel myself emptying the clip into a body. Yet, with all the power the gun brought me, I couldn't save two people. But who the fuck cares? The people got their ration cards."

They were both silent for a while.

"What we did yesterday," Joel said, placing the rest of the Molotovs in his backpack and zipping it shut. "Did it make it any better?"

"Nothing can replace the image and pain of seeing an infant, a child, shot dead on the street," Matthew said darkly.

Joel looked away and stroked his watch.

"It's getting light," Matthew said as the sun started to rise. "I think I'll get my backpack ready."

Joel nodded.

Matthew stood before turning back to Joel. "You think it'll work out back there? With Joseph and his people?"

Joel shrugged. "I wouldn't know. We can't control what happens next," he said, standing up as well.

Matthew nodded and walked away.

"Kid," Joel said.

Matthew turned toward Joel.

Joel walked forward and stood behind the couch, looked down. "The woman and the child… they would have died whether you were there or not. At least you tried to stop it."

Matthew accepted the words with a nod. "Thanks for listening, sir."

Matthew walked away.

 ** _…_**

Joel reached down and grabbed Ellie's shoulder. Her eyes were already open.

Joel grunted. "Don't think too much into this, kiddo."

Ellie smiled and she pulled on the cloth Matthew had given to her, covering her bite.


	58. Chapter 58

Summer:

August

Matthew continued to shave his face, attempting to quell his frustration regarding how little progress they'd made getting to Boston.

Off to the side, Ellie and Joel practiced with their guitars.

After many encounters with Hunters and whole herds of Infected, they were still in Illinois, traveling on an abandoned highway filled with cars. Clouds covered the sky overhead and Lightning could be seen in the distance.

"Three fourths of the song," Joel said to Ellie as the pair stopped playing.

Matthew looked over.

Ellie leaned her head up against a truck behind her in frustration. "I've gotten stuck in the same spot three times," she groaned.

"Sounds to me like something's holding you back," Matthew said, putting away his razor and feeling his shaved face.

"I didn't ask you," Ellie snapped, shooting him a glare.

Matthew shrugged and got up.

"One more try?" Joel asked.

"No," Ellie replied, placing her guitar in its case. "I'm done for tonight."

Joel nodded and put away his own guitar before resting his head against a car behind him.

Ellie sighed and stood. "You wanna go for a walk?" she asked Matthew.

"Sure," Matthew replied.

Matthew and Ellie walked silently for a couple minutes, moving between cars and corpses.

"We should be at the lake tomorrow," Matthew said, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

Ellie didn't reply. She simply kept walking.

Matthew stopped. "Ellie, you asked me to come on the walk for a reason. What is it?"

Ellie stopped and leaned against a car. "You had another nightmare last night."

"I thought I told you to stay away from me when I'm having those," Matthew said irritably. He leaned against the car next to her. "I don't want to hurt you and—"

"Matthew, we heard all the way from the camp," Ellie interrupted. She moved to stand in front of him. "I know you don't want to talk about them and I can respect that. But you have to get your shit together. If you keep getting that loud, you're going to find something chewing on you, and I—"

Matthew stopped Ellie with a rare glare. After a few seconds, his features softened and he turned away to look at the clouds above, not offering a reply.

"I just don't want you to get hurt," Ellie finished.

"We should get back," Matthew said as he turned away.

Ellie stayed where she was. "Matthew, what was your sister's name?"

"Did you hear that while I was having my nightmares?" Matthew asked. His hands clenched into fists. "I don't remember telling you that I had a sister."

"I just kinda figured it out on my own," Ellie said as she sat down on the hood of a car. "You told Joel that you're looking for a member of your family and she's a girl."

"And?" Matthew pressed, knowing that Ellie wanted to continue.

"Then the night you and I had our…" Ellie looked away for a moment and stood. "When we had whatever that was in Joel's house, you said that corn was the only thing your mother could get _us_ to eat. You had a sibling. Am I wrong?"

"No," Matthew said, looking at the sky again. "You've pretty much got it summed up."

Ellie moved forward and gently grabbed his arm. "All I want is her name."

Matthew sighed. "Her name was—"

The night lit up with lightning, followed by the loud rumble of thunder.

Ellie and Matthew turned to a loud screeching sound in the direction of their camp as started to rain heavily.

Ellie looked at Matthew. "Joel!" she exclaimed.

Ellie took off.

Matthew looked behind him and spotted more Runners moving through the cars along the highway.

 ** _…_**

Joel punched a Runner repeatedly in the face before grabbing and ramming its head through the car window in front of him.

As Joel turned, a Clicker tackled him to the ground from behind. Joel pushed on its shoulders in an attempt to stop it from biting down on his neck, its rapid clicking barely audible over the rain and thunder.

"Get off of him you motherfucker!"

Ellie jumped on the Clicker's back and stabbed down into its head repeatedly. Joel crawled out from under the body as the clicking finally stopped. He drew his gun and shot the head of a Runner behind Ellie.

Ellie rose to her feet. "Joel, behind you!"

Joel turned and raised his weapon as another Runner crawled over a car to reach for him. Before he could use it, an arrow flew through the air and embedded itself in the Runner's head.

Ellie grabbed their guitars.

Matthew loaded another arrow and looked at Joel. "We can't stay here!" he said loudly to the older man as the loud storm continued overhead. "There's tons of them on the highway!"

"We have to get moving!" Joel agreed. "We can lose them by the lake!"

"Are you fucking nuts?" Ellie shouted. "There's no cover by the lake!"

"Trust me!"

 ** _…_**

Matthew followed Joel and Ellie as they spent the next hour jogging and sneaking through the area surrounding Lake Michigan.

When they emerged from a thin line of trees, they saw that the lake was surrounded by a large, makeshift FEDRA dock. There were broken-down vehicles and bodies strewn everywhere. The shacks and buildings were also rusted and broken-down. Many windows were shattered and most of the various tents were imploded.

"What the hell is this?" Ellie asked.

"I'll explain later!" Joel said, pushing Ellie forward. "Let's just find some cover!"

They found a rusty, broken-down shack near the water. It had no widows, but it provided relative shelter from the storm and any pursuing Infected.

The storm shook the building as Joel closed the door behind Matthew.

"That…" Ellie said, taking in a large gulp of air as she and Matthew sat down. "That sucked."

"We'll have to stay here tonight," Joel said as he sat next to Ellie. "There's no telling where the Infected will end up with how loud this storm is."

Matthew looked uneasy. He rose and walked toward the door. "I'll take the night watch."

"None of us are going out," Joel said firmly. "It's too dangerous right now."

"We'll be fine," Ellie said, standing and grabbing Matthew's shoulder. "Just… maybe we should all get some sleep."

Matthew looked at the door again. Eventually, he nodded and placed himself in the far corner of the shack.

Joel took position by the door.

Ellie laid in the middle of the shack.

Despite Matthew's best efforts to avoid sleep, he slowly began to doze.

 _"Matthew, come away from the window."_

 _I reluctantly tore my gaze away from the soldiers outside. They were moving door to door and loading people onto the bus to be brought to other zones. The Infected had gotten through the wall in my zone and had already killed over twenty people._

 _I walked back to my mother, who was talking quietly to my sister.  
Like me, my sister was only seven years old. But she was strong like my mother and_

 _stubborn like my father._

 _Mom gave my sister a pat on the back._

 _My sister came up to me, speaking excitedly. "Matt, we're going on a trip! It'll be fun!"_

 _I looked at my mother as my sister left the room._

 _"Matthew, I need you to understand me," my mother said, grabbing my shoulders. She wiped a tear from her eye and knelt._

 _I felt the sudden urge to cry._

 _My mom spoke quietly so that my sister wouldn't hear from the other room. "I don't think that your dad is going to get better. I don't want to frighten your sister, but—"_

 _There was a loud commotion across the street._

 _From the window, I could see one of our neighbors arguing with a soldier._

 _My mother turned me away from the exchange. "We're going to have to leave," she said, trying to sound brave. "The soldiers are loading people on the bus. Not all the parents are going with their kids. The adults are going to…" Her voice trailed off as my father moaned from the bed in the other room._

 _"No," I said frantically. "We have to stay together."_

 _My mother let out a small cry and hugged me to her chest. "I need you took look after your sister. I know you're the same age, but she never left the house with you and your father. She hasn't seen…"_

 _A tear flowed down my face as the meaning of her words became clear._

 _My mother took a step back and held me by my shoulders. She used her thumb to gently wipe away a tear that slid down my face. "You are a strong boy, my son. I need you to keep being strong. Do not let her get hurt. Do not let her out of your sight. When the time comes, I may be able to find you."_

 _"It's not fair!" I shouted angrily. More tears started flowing down my face. "We need to stay together! It's not fair!"_

 _My mother looked into my eyes with love, but spoke firmly. "You need to be brave," she said again._

 _There was a series of gunshots and screams outside._

 _Mother reached into her belt and took out a gun. She looked at me again. "I know this isn't fair, but I need you to be brave. Just—"_

 _"No!" I shouted._

 _I tore myself away from my mother. I ran past my sister, through the kitchen, and into my room. I knew I couldn't do this. I knew I wasn't ready. I knew I couldn't look after my sister all by myself._

 _Suddenly, there was a scream of pain._

 _"Mommy!" my sister shouted._

 _I ran through the house again._

 _My sister continued to shout. "Daddy! Stop!"_

 _BANG. BANG._

 _I reached the living room to see my sister crouched on the ground. My mother lay unmoving off to the side. My father lay on the ground as still as a board. There was a large hole in his skull. Blood flowed from my parent's bodies._

 _I looked down at my sister._

 _She was staring at something her hand. She had a look of utter horror on her face._

 _I didn't see the bite marks on my mothers' neck._

 _I didn't see the difference made by the Cordyceps Infection in my dead father's eyes._

 _I only saw my sister holding a smoking gun._

 _I took a step toward her as my hands clenched into tight fists._

 _My sister dropped the gun to the ground. "Matt, I—"_

 _She killed our parents._

 _She killed them._

 _"You killed them!" I shouted angrily. I took another step forward._

 _"Matt! I had to!" my sister cried. She took a step backward and tripped over our father's body. She looked at his face and crawled back. After a moment, she looked at me and attempted to stand. "He was going to kill me! He… mommy… Matt, please don't be mad!"_

 _I had no pity left in me. I grabbed her shirt._

 _"You killed them!" I shouted again._

 _I swung as hard as I could, my fist connecting with my sister's face._

 _My sister fell to the ground. Blood dripped from the new cut on her cheek._

 _My rose again, tears openly streaming from her eyes. "Matt, please!"_

 _I didn't even hear her words._

 _Her moving lips meant nothing to me._

 _She killed them._

 _I grabbed my sister and threw her across the room. Her head connected with the corner of a wooden table._

 _My sister fell to the ground again._

 _When she rose, I saw blood moving slowly from a cut on her forehead down past her lip._

 _My sister sobbed. "Matt…"_

 _I lunged forward again but found myself grabbed from behind by three sets of hands. I fought against the large soldiers holding me back._

 _The men started to argue._

 _"Get them on the bus."_

 _"But he'll kill her!"_

 _"That's not our problem."_

 _"Shut up, both of you! Just put the boy in the triage. The buses are almost full anyway. The next one comes tomorrow morning."_

 _"The next bus isn't going to the same zone…"_

 _"It's for the best! The boy obviously won't miss her."_

 _My sister was dragged away from me. "Matt!" she screamed._

 _I was taken away._

 _I felt no pity or remorse for what I'd done._

 _I never thought of going back._

 _She killed them._

 _I didn't care what happened to her. I never would._

 ** _…_**

Ellie awoke as Joel rose to his feet. "Where are you going?" she asked leaning on her elbow.

Joel checked his gun. "The rain's stopped. I'm going to take a look around," he said.

Matthew started mumbling softly.

Joel looked at Ellie. "Be careful."

Ellie nodded as Joel left.

Matthew rolled over onto his back. His mumbling became louder. "I killed her…"

Ellie slowly rose and knelt next to Matthew. He shifted again.

Ellie put a firm hand on his shoulder. "Matthew, wake up."

 ** _…_**

 _I grew up quickly after that._

 _My parents were dead._

 _She killed them._

 _I eventually realized that she'd had no choice._

 _She's most likely dead._

 _It's my fault._

 _I might as well have **choked** the life out of her myself. _

**_…_**

Ellie couldn't breathe. She pulled at Matthew's fingers, trying desperately to unwrap his hand from her neck.

The young man remained asleep, consumed by his nightmare.

Ellie couldn't speak. _Matthew… can't breathe… wake up…_

The door opened a few seconds later.

"There's nothing out there," Joel said as he shut the door behind him. "We should—"

Ellie looked at Joel.

Joel turned and saw Matthew. His eyes narrowed and he grabbed the gun from his belt.

Ellie glared at the older man. _Don't you dare!_ She looked down at Matthew as her vision started to blur. She and placed her fingers on his face, using her thumbs to slowly massage his temples. _Wake up… Matthew._

Matthew's eyes slowly opened. Moments later, his eyes focused on the young woman he was about to kill.

Matthew released Ellie immediately and quickly sat up.

Ellie fell to the side gasping for breath. "Matthew…" she gasped. "Matthew… It's…"

Matthew rose. He ran past Joel and out of the shack.

Joel knelt next to Ellie. "Ellie…"

"I'm fine, Joel," Ellie whispered, her voice soft due to the lack of oxygen. She coughed again. "I'm fine."

Joel cast an angry look at the door. His eyes narrowed again.

"What…" Ellie coughed. "What were you going to do?"

Joel placed his hands on Ellie's shoulders. "Has this ever happened before?" he asked sternly.

"No…" Ellie said, shaking her head frantically. "No, he always slept somewhere else. He's always been afraid of… I have to go talk…"

Joel gently pushed her down. "I'll check on him."

Ellie slowly nodded and attempted to catch her breath.

Joel walked out of the shack and found Matthew a short distance away. He stopped as Matthew vomited on the ground.

"You alright?" Joel asked quietly.

Matthew turned and saw Joel standing behind him.

The older man kept a guarded expression.

Matthew stood and leaned against an old boat held above the ground by metal clamps. "No. No, not really," he said, panting. The young man rubbed his eyes and wiped his face before turning to Joel. "Is Ellie okay?"

"She's fine," Joel said crisply. He folded his arms and took a step forward. "You almost killed her."

"If you want me to leave," Matthew said, wiping away more tears. "I'll do it. Right now."

"I would like nothing more than that!" Joel said loudly.

Matthew flinched at the raised voice but nodded wordlessly.

Joel looked away in frustration for a moment, speaking quietly. "But if I make you leave, I could lose her forever."

Matthew looked Joel in the eye. He opened his mouth to speak but evidently could think of nothing to say. He knew there was no excuse for what he had done. What he'd almost done.

"She deserves to know what that was about in there," Joel said firmly.

Matthew looked down and nodded again. He moved toward the shack.

As Matthew moved past the older man, Joel put a hand out, grabbed the young man's sweater, and pinned him against the hanging boat.

Joel leaned close, speaking as quietly as ever. "If you ever hurt her again, I will end you."

Matthew said nothing.

Joel reluctantly released the boy and walked away, leaving Matthew leaning against the hanging boat.


	59. Chapter 59

Ellie took a deep breath and rose as the shack door opened.

Joel walked inside.

Ellie didn't see Matthew behind him. "Joel," she said with a hint of fear. "Where is he?"

Matthew walked through the door a few seconds later.

Ellie relaxed and walked up to the young man as Joel moved to the back of the shack

"I'm sorry," Matthew said softly. He took a reflexive step back as Ellie moved forward. Matthew ran a hand down the side of his face and turned away. "Christ, I owe you so much more than an apology after that."

"You don't owe me anything," Ellie said gently. "You've always warned me that… look, it wasn't your fault."

"There's a lot that's my fault," Matthew said.

The storm started again. Rain began panging gently on the roof overheard as the wind blew heavily, rocking the shack.

Matthew took a deep breath and sat in front of the fire Ellie had made.

Ellie took a seat behind him, staying within arm's reach.

Joel stood quietly behind Ellie.

Ellie didn't say anything to break the silence.

Matthew took a deep breath, speaking for the first time in a half hour. "I had a sister."

Ellie and Joel both looked up.

The storm outside had quieted down, and there was dead silence.

Matthew continued to stare at the dirty floor. "When uh… when the military came to my zone, they started loading kids onto these buses. They we're taking them to Military Preparatory School's. The parents and older kids were being sent to military training zones."

Lighting flashed and thunder shook the shack.

Matthew didn't even flinch. "I was seven. My dad was sick… infected. My mom, she knew what was happening. She told me that I would have to protect my sister. I was scared. I ran into the other room. I couldn't… I couldn't understand how I could protect a child when I was just a kid myself."

 ** _…_**

Ellie sat quietly behind Matthew. It took great restraint to not touch him. To not put a comforting hand on his shoulder. So, she sat behind him in supportive silence.

"I heard my sister scream," Matthew continued, shuddering as he spoke. "I ran into the room. My father had… turned. He killed my mother. My sister had no choice. She had to kill my father or she would have died, too."

Ellie's shifted uneasily as distant memories of an old friend began to emerge. Her fists clenched. _No…_

When Matthew spoke again, it sounded as though there was a lump in his throat that was threatening to suffocate him. "She was only seven years old. And I…" Matthew put a hand over his mouth and took a deep breath to stop himself from sobbing.

It was a few seconds before Matthew was able to compose himself. He looked into the fire as he spoke again. "I beat her. I could have killed her. I was so… _fucking_ angry. I couldn't control myself. I didn't even try to… It wasn't until a year ago, after I left the Fireflies, that I started looking for her. Some protector… son… _brother_ I was."

Ellie stared at the ground. Her fingernails were digging into her palm. She felt Joel's eyes on her, but she didn't move. She couldn't.

 ** _…_**

Matthew took another ragged breath. "I learned that her bus driver had retired to Austin," he said. "When I found him, he told me that the bus was headed for Boston."

Matthew wiped more tears from his eyes. He swallowed again and forced himself to unclench his fists.

Matthew took another deep breath that turned into another shudder. "I had a sister. Her name was—"

Matthew stopped speaking as he heard Ellie moved. He turned as the young woman unzipped the third section of her backpack. The section Matthew had never looked at.

Ellie sifted through its contents until she found what she was looking for.

Ellie looked at what she extracted for a moment and walked over to Matthew.

Ellie crouched in front of Matthew and extended the object. Her hand was shaking.

Matthew grabbed the Firefly Pendant from her hand and flipped it over. He saw the name inscribed on its surface and froze.

 ** _…_**

Joel watched the entire exchange in confused silence.

Ellie turned and slowly walked toward him. Tears started to form in her eyes. "Riley…" she whispered.

"…And she was the first to die," Joel whispered softly.

Matthew turned his head slightly as Joel spoke, clenching the pendant in his fist.

Joel saw tears start to fall down Ellie's face. She looked down and attempted to move past him.

"Kiddo," Joel said gently. "Come here."

Joel grabbed Ellie's hand and pulled her into a hug. She accepted the gestured and sobbed silently into his chest. Joel ran a hand through Ellie's hair and gently lowered himself and her to the ground before looking at Matthew.

The young man was sitting as still as stone.


	60. Chapter 60

It was an hour before Ellie took a deep breath and wiped her eyes. She looked at Joel.

After a moment, Joel nodded.

Ellie stood and walked toward Matthew, her hand slowly sliding from Joel's grasp.

Ellie sat down next to Matthew.

The young man's eyes were focused on the floor in front of him and his hand was shaking.

Ellie put a hand on his shoulder.

Matthew jumped at the contact.

"Do you want to talk?" Ellie asked gently.

"No," Matthew said quietly. He half sighed, half shuddered. "And yes. Can I… Are you willing to talk about her right now?"

"If I wasn't, I wouldn't have asked you."

For a short time, Matthew was silent. "Is she dead?"

"She's gone," Ellie whispered. "But she may not be…"

"She's Infected," Matthew said calmly.

Ellie reached out with a hand but retracted it. "She was with me when…" Ellie traced her bite.

Matthew glanced at her arm before looking back at her.

Ellie looked away, unable to meet his eyes as she spoke. "She didn't… she didn't want to take the easy way out."

Matthew slowly nodded.

Ellie started to feel the tears welling up in her eyes again. Now more than ever, she wanted to help Matthew find his sister… Riley. Ellie gulped. "But I think I know where she is… I—"

Matthew grabbed one of Ellie's hands. "We don't have to talk about that now," he whispered. The pain in his voice was evident. "Let's just get through the night."

"Is there anything else you want to know?" Ellie asked.

"We're you two close?" Matthew asked.

Ellie felt his grip tighten. She squeezed back. "Yes," she whispered. "We only knew each other for a little while. She was very strong. Kind of like you. She was selfless. She…" Ellie closed her eyes as another tear rolled down her cheek.

The flood of memories kept her silent for a long time.

 _Riley rescuing her from the bullies._

 _Riley and Ellie jumping over rooftops during their first escape together._

 _Their first encounter with Infected._

 _Their arguments._

 _Riley's return._

 _Their time in the mall._

Ellie gulped. "She was my first kiss."

Matthew glanced at her.

Ellie froze and looked at Matthew again. "I… I don't know why I said that," she stammered. "I'm sorry, Matthew."

Ellie attempted to rise but Matthew put a hand on her shoulder. "It's alright," he said, smiling sadly. "I'm glad she was happy. She deserved someone like you in her life."

Ellie nodded and smiled sadly herself before grabbing Matthew's hand.

They stayed like that for some time before Ellie wiped her eyes with the back of a hand. "You should try and sleep," she said.

Matthew nodded and closed his eyes.

Ellie stayed awake for a short time before exhaustion washed over her. Slowly, her head slid to the side, landing on Matthew's shoulder.

Matthew leaned his head on hers, half asleep.

 ** _…_**

Joel watched from the back of the shack. _They really do care for each other._ He looked at Ellie's sleeping form. _She won't want to leave him. But I can't let her go._

Matthew began to shiver.

Joel grabbed a tarp from a nearby shelf. He walked behind the pair and laid it over their shoulders.

 ** _…_**

Matthew awoke to the new weight added to his shoulders and saw Joel walking away out of his peripheral vision.

 ** _…_**

When Joel awoke the next morning, sun filtered through the cracks and holes in side of the shack.

Matthew was still lying on the ground with the tarp wrapped around him.

Ellie was gone.

Joel walked outside to find Ellie looking out over the lake.

Joel moved forward and stood next to her.

They didn't say anything for a while.

Eventually, Ellie sighed and turned to him. "Sometimes, I hate the world we live in," she said.

"Everyone does."

Ellie turned away and started to walk back toward the shack.

Joel turned but didn't follow. "Are you alright, kiddo?"

Ellie stopped and hesitated before answering. "I need… time. But I'll be fine."

Joel nodded. "I'm here if you—"

"How long until we get to Boston?" Ellie asked.

Joel noticed that there was a new determination in her body language and voice.

Ellie locked eyes with Joel.

Joel took a step toward. "Ellie, you know where Riley is, don't you?"

Ellie opened her mouth to reply when Matthew exited the shack and moved to them, throwing his backpack around his shoulders.

Matthew rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. "Sorry," he said, seemingly attempting to keep his voice light. "Long night."

"Where are we going, Ellie?" Joel pressed.

Ellie raised an eyebrow. "Boston."

They skipped breakfast that morning and moved east, away from the lake.

At mid-morning, Ellie broke the long silence. "Joel, where are we?"

"Hudson Lake is about half a day from here," Joel said, pointing ahead.

"Indiana," Ellie said.

"Reading maps now?" Joel said, attempting to keep the mood light.

"I ran out of books," Ellie said with a shrug, glancing at Matthew.

The young man had been silent since they'd started moving. He walked slowly and at a distance.

"He could probably use some company," Joel said reluctantly.

Ellie put a hand on Joel's shoulder. "Thanks."

"Just be careful."

 ** _…_**

Ellie slowed her pace until she was walking beside Matthew. "Hey."

"Hi," Matthew replied. They took another few steps before he spoke again. "Is something wrong?"

"You tell me," Ellie replied. "You haven't been this quiet since we reached Austin."

"I uh…" Matthew looked down. "I have all these questions. Questions about what happened to Riley after I… I'm also afraid to ask them because she was your friend and… I really don't have the right to open up old wounds and—"

Ellie grabbed his hand for a moment and squeezed. "Matthew, Riley was your sister," she said sadly. She let go. "Ask anything you want."

"What was she like?" Matthew asked as they slowly walked. "I mean, she was so innocent when she was younger—"

Ellie snorted.

Matthew raised an eyebrow.

"Sorry," Ellie said, smiling despite herself. "It's just that 'innocent' is not a word I would have used to describe her."

"How did you two meet?" Matthew inquired.

Ellie took a deep breath. "Um…well I was transferred to a few different places in the zone. Eventually, I was sent to a Military Prep School. A few assholes decided to ambush me the second I got there."

Matthew stared straight ahead.

"I got my ass kicked," Ellie admitted, surprised to find that she was becoming more comfortable talking about her past with each passing moment. "Riley… she came out of nowhere and put their asses on the ground. It was pretty cool… then she stole my shit."

"Bet that went over well," Matthew grunted, smiling for the first time that day.

"She walked around as if she knew everything. God, I found that so obnoxious. But she… she was more," Ellie said lamely. She looked at the ground and spoke, almost to herself. "She was tough. She was a rebel. All she wanted was a purpose."

Matthew's hand drifted to his pocket where he had put Riley's Firefly pendant. "That's why she joined the Fireflies," he said quietly.

"She always knew what to say. She was always so sure of herself," Ellie said. She looked at Matthew. "I never would have told her, but I _wish_ I was as cool as her. She… you kind of remind me of her."

Ellie looked away, embarrassed.

Matthew poked Ellie's side.

Ellie stopped walking and turned to him. "What?"

"She sounds more like you," Matthew said with another soft smile. He turned at kept /walking.

Ellie caught up to him a few seconds later. "What else do you want to ask me?"

Matthew's smile disappeared and he averted his eyes. "Did she ever talk about or mention me?" he asked as his voice cracked slightly.

"I'm sorry, Matthew. But…" Ellie took a small step back.

Matthew put a hand on her shoulder. "It's fine," he said, wiping away a tear. "I put her through something. It's my fault. I deserve it."

Ellie slowly removed his hand from her shoulder, continuing to hold it as they started walking again.

"It's not fair," Ellie said after an hour. "You should have known her."

"It just is, Ellie," Matthew said softly. "It just is."

Ellie remained silent for a while.

Matthew gave her hand a slight squeeze. "You haven't asked _me_ anything," he observed.

Ellie stopped again. "I'm not mad at you," she said firmly. "I just want you to know that. We've all done some shit we regret when we lose control. But… why did it take you so long to start looking for her?"

Matthew looked at sky for a moment. "Because I'm a coward," he said, his voice cracking again. "Despite what I told myself every minute of every day, I knew the second that I got separated from her that I was wrong. But… I decided that being angry was easier than confronting my own fear and pain."

Ellie stared ahead, keeping a guarded expression.

Matthew let out a breath. "So I ran. I ran from her. It wasn't until after I left the Fireflies and…" Matthew clenched and unclenched his fists as they continue walking. "I saw what humanity was capable of when the woman and her infant ended up dead in the street. _That_ was the world I abandoned my sister to. _I_ left her to fend for herself. She was _my_ responsibility."

Matthew tried to pull his hand away.

Ellie unconsciously tightened her grip and held him in place.

Matthew stopped resisting and allowed a tear to fall down his face. "And now she's infected. That's what _I_ abandoned her to," he said sadly. He took a moment to compose himself and reached into his pocket to grab Riley's Firefly pendant. Matthew slowly placed it around his neck. "Now it's my responsibility to see that she rests in peace."

Ellie loosened her grip on his hand slightly and pondered the situation. _If it came down to it…_ _If I saw Riley again… could I… No… No, I don't think I could._ She looked at the young man next to her.

Matthew's face was unreadable as he once again stared straight ahead.

Ellie tightened her grip on Matthew's hand. _It's not my call…_

Matthew finally stopped and broke the silence. "Now," he said attempting to lighten his voice. "Tell me more about her stealing your stuff…"

 ** _…_**

Joel listened to Ellie and Matthew talking for hours. Ellie shared more with Matthew than she ever had with him. Now there was little chance of getting her to leave the task behind. _This whole situation is getting more complicated each day._

 ** _…_**

"She gave me an awesome tape," Ellie said. "It was the last thing we listened to before she…" Ellie stopped speaking and looked away.

"I have…" Matthew hesitated. He stopped and grasped Ellie's forearm. "I know that this is the hardest thing I could ask you to do, but, when you're ready, I'd like to know how… how she got infected. What happened to my sister"

Ellie opened her mouth to reply then closed it, tears welling up in her eyes.

Matthew released her arm. "When you're ready," he said again. "Not before."

They took another few steps.

Ellie sighed. "I'm ready now."

 _"Riley, I don't think we're infected," Ellie said hopefully, looking at her fresh bite._

 _Riley stopped and turned toward Ellie._

 _After quietly retrieving their backpacks, they exited the mall and had spent the last hour traversing the zone. They focused on avoiding patrolling soldiers and finding Marlene._

 _"What are you talking about?" Riley asked tentatively. She kept her bitten hand at her side._

 _"Look!" Ellie said, holding out her arm. "The drills taught us that the bites get worse. It's been two hours. It's bleeding and it hurts like fuckin' hell, but it doesn't look any different."_

 _Riley opened her mouth to reply and looked at her bitten palm. She let it fall to her side again and kept walking. "Maybe."_

 _"Riley," Ellie said, slowing to a stop. She knew that look. "What's going on?"_

 _When Riley didn't answer, Ellie reached for her hand._

 _"It's nothing," Riley insisted. She tugged her hand away. "We're almost there."_

 _They snuck through the streets of Boston for another five minutes._

 _Ellie stopped._

 _Riley stopped as well and turned to see Ellie glaring at her._

 _Riley gave her a confused look._

 _Ellie walked forward and held out her hand. The bite was completely visible._

 _"Show me your palm," Ellie demanded, looking Riley in the eye._

 _Riley reluctantly held out her palm. It was red and bloody._

 _Ellie raised her arm next to Riley's._

 _Ellie was not red beyond reason and showed no sign of infection or inflammation on the outer fringes of the bite._

 _Riley's looked worse, just like their teachers had taught them._

 _Ellie took a step back. "No," she whispered._

 _"You have to go," Riley said. "Ellie, you have to leave."_

 _"No!" Ellie almost shouted. "You're just like me! It's just slower! Nothing's going to happen!"_

 _Ellie took another step back. She tried desperately to deny the inevitable. "Nothing is going to happen," she said again._

 _Riley grabbed Ellie and tugged her toward her, clasping the younger girl's arm in both hands._

 _Ellie tried to tug herself away but couldn't._

 _"Ellie," Riley said desperately. A tear fell down her face. "It's going to happen. You have to let me go."_

 _"No, you're going to be fine!" Ellie said, raising her voice again. " **We** are going to be fine!" _

_Ellie attempted to tug her arm away again._

 _Riley let go. "No, Ellie!" she shouted. "I'm not going to be fine! My bite may not be getting infected as fast as what the school taught us, but it's going to happen! I can…"_

 _Riley seemingly forced herself to lower her voice._

 _Ellie was now staring at the ground, holding her bitten arm._

 _"I can **feel** it, Ellie," Riley said, unable to stop the apparent emotions boiling within from entering her voice. I can **feel** it and it's going to happen. And I… I can't be around you when it does."_

 _"You are not going to leave me!" Ellie interrupted, reaching for Riley. "You are not going to leave me again! We're going to go to Marlene and we will be **fine**!" _

_Riley looked behind her in the direction of the mall and then at an old bench cemented to the ground in front of them._

 _Ellie gave her a confused look._

 _A few seconds later, Riley's shoulders sunk. "Okay," she said. "We'll go to Marlene."_

 _"We'll be fine," Ellie said again, relieved. She turned and began walking._

 _Riley didn't follow._

 _Ellie turned again to see Riley grabbing something from her back backpack._

 _Riley hesitated._

 _Ellie walked back to her. "What are you—"_

 _Riley swung her backpack with a grunt. It hit Ellie on the right side of her forehead._

 _Ellie fell to the ground. "Riley, what the fuck?"_

 _"Ellie…" Riley said, walking forward. "I'm not sorry."_

 _Riley quickly grabbed Ellie and chained her to the bench with the handcuffs from her backpack._

 _"Don't you fucking dare, Riley!" Ellie moaned as she rubbed her forehead. "Don't do this! Don't leave me alone!"_

 _"There are no soldiers around," Riley said as tears ran down her face. She threw aside her backpack. "Marlene's patrol will come through here in ten minutes. She'll take care of you."_

 _Ellie grunted in anger and tried to remove the handcuffs._

 _Riley grabbed Ellie's head and brought it to her own chest. "I love you. Please don't hate me," she whispered. A tear rolled down her face. Riley placed her Firefly pendant around Ellie's neck. "Goodbye."_

 _"No!" screamed Ellie. "No, Riley! I hate you! Now get your ass back here!"_

 _Riley hesitated at the corner of the street. There was a single tear still rolling down her face. She turned and ran back in the direction of the mall._

"That was the last time I saw her," Ellie said to Matthew, staring at the ground. She spoke with self-loathing. "I told her that I _hated_ her."

Matthew stared at the ground well.

Ellie shook her head. "And I meant it," she continued softly. "At the time, I fucking meant it."

Ellie felt a hand on her shoulder.

Matthew looked her in the eye. "She meant it when she said she loved you," he said softly.


	61. Chapter 61

The trio reached the Hudson Lake an hour later.

Ellie and Matthew had said nothing of Riley since their conversation two hours before.

Clouds had begun to converge overhead and it started to get windy.

"Okay…" Ellie said skeptically. "What is this shit doing here?"

They were looking at another abandoned makeshift military dock. It stretched about half a mile around the lake. The majority of the docks were on the rocky beach. However, there were a few broken structures supported by wooden boards that stretched out over the water. It wasn't as large as the docks from the night before, but it seemed there was more to be scavenged.

"It's an abandoned military encampment," Joel said.

Ellie rolled her eyes. "I know _what_ it is. I just don't get why it's here."

"Pretty simple, actually," Matthew answered. "The Fireflies began to do assaults on the major lakes that the military was using for supply runs. So the military started using smaller lakes to transport supplies. The downside is that they had to divert a lot of the trucks and personnel to transport supplies."

"That's right," Joel said with a hint of surprise in his voice. "That's why some of the major zones fell. I say we take what supplies we can and make camp for the night on the far end of the docks."

Ellie released Matthew's hand. She glanced at it for a moment. _How long have I been… forget it, Ellie. It's not important._ "It'll be dark in a few hours. Let's get this done."

After stashing the guitars, the trio combed their way down the docks, looking in abandoned, rundown boats and cars for supplies.

Matthew collected metal dog tags and the odd Firefly pendant for arrows.

Joel started searching for ammo.

Ellie found relatively clean and fitting clothing as well as some duct tape.

 ** _…_**

Joel walked onto the wooden dock next to the water.

The water below gently rose and broke upon the supports of the wooden dock.

Joel stopped next to a supply shed and sniffed. It smelled like death. He turned on his flashlight and opened the door before immediately backing up and reaching into his backpack for a gas mask. "Spores."

 ** _…_**

Matthew hopped onto a boat and opened a hatch on the floor. He reached in and grabbed a few bottles of alcohol before glancing at Ellie.

The young woman was rummaging through the front seat of a car a few feet away, tossing aside useless items.

It became windier. Tattered tarps and doors shifted loudly down the length of the docks, occasionally slamming.

 ** _…_**

Joel slowly moved into the makeshift supply room in the large shed, ignoring the body of an Infected that the spores had spawned from.

Along the walls, there were shelves containing old, rundown equipment.

Joel grabbed what he could from one shelf and turned around. He moved to another shelf and grabbed a box of ammo for his pistol.

Joel nodded to himself, satisfied. He turned again and stepped on a piece of broken glass.

The fragile debris snapped loudly.

It was then that Joel heard the slow, heavy breathing.

Joel shined his flashlight into the far corner of the boathouse.

There were two Bloaters standing there, unaware of his presence.

Joel slowly backed up and moved toward the door, exiting the building as quietly as he could. Right before he closed the door, the wind picked up and the door slammed shut.

 _Shit._ Joel heard a loud roar. The Bloaters had awakened. "Shit!"

Joel backed away as quickly as he could, grabbed a Molotov from his backpack, lit it, and threw the improvised incendiary through the doorway. The resulting explosion lit one of the Bloaters on fire.

 ** _…_**

Matthew and Ellie looked up from their tasks to the sight of fire rising from a supply shed.

"Shit!" Ellie exclaimed, clambering out of the car.

Matthew turned and looked at the forest surrounding the lake.

Infected began to materialize out of the trees, drawn by the sound of the Molotov, wind, and the Bloater that roared as it finally collapsed to the ground from its burns.

Runners, Stalkers, and Clickers ran onto the docks.

"Watch the trees!" Matthew shouted to Ellie.

 ** _…_**

Joel got his arm up in time to hold back a Runner that came charging from behind the supply shed. He shoved it away and raised his gun, putting a bullet through its skull.

The second Bloater emerged from the doorway of the shed, lurching toward him.

Joel turned and ran.

 ** _…_**

Ellie stabbed a Clicker through the head from behind.

A Runner charged toward her from the side.

Matthew grabbed it and shoved his knife downward into its skull. He withdrew his knife and watched it sink to the ground before turning to Ellie, who nodded.

"I'll cover the forest," Ellie said as they both drew their weapons.

Matthew attached an arrow to his crossbow.

Ellie grabbed an arrow for herself.

 ** _…_**

Joel put a couple of rounds into a Clicker as he ran, dropping the Infected at his feet. He leapt over the body as the Bloater continued to give chase, throwing spore bombs in his direction.

 ** _…_**

Ellie hopped onto the hood of a car and knelt.

A Clicker grabbed at her feet.

Ellie shot it through the head with an arrow. As the Clicker lay still, the arrow landed on the hood of the truck. _Still useable._ Ellie scooped the arrow up and jumped onto another nearby truck.

Most of the Infected were now in the grassy area between the docks and the forest.

Ellie didn't see anything else coming from the tree line. "Ten Infected," Ellie said to herself. "We can do this."

Ellie aimed and shot the arrow again.

 ** _…_**

Matthew shot another Stalker through the head.

It squirmed on the ground next to the Clicker Matthew had killed seconds before.

Matthew turned and started making his way toward Joel.

A few more Infected made it onto the dock, separating them further.

 ** _…_**

The Bloater was still hot on Joel's tail. It's loud roaring and heavy footsteps shook the wooden planks below them.

 ** _…_**

Ellie took out a fourth Runner and turned.

The last of the Infected had reached the dock.

On the docks, Matthew grabbed another Runner from behind, slitting its throat. "Watch your back!" he shouted over the Bloater's roar.

Ellie turned as a Stalker grabbed her leg and hauled her off the truck. Ellie landed on the ground with the Stalker still clawing at her.

"Let go of me!" Ellie shouted. She managed to kick it hard in the face several times until it released its grip.

Ellie crawled under the nearby truck and out the other side. She grabbed an arrow as the Stalker came running around the vehicle, squealing loudly.

Ellie put an arrow through its heart as it charged. The Stalker collided with Ellie and collapsed on top of her.

Ellie attempted to shove the body off. She craned her head when the Bloater roared again.

 ** _…_**

Matthew stopped as he saw the Stalker land on Ellie. "Ellie?" he shouted nervously.

"I'm fine," Ellie replied in a muffled voice. "Go help Joel!"

 ** _…_**

Joel ducked as the Bloater swung its long arms, knocking over a large stack of fishing tools. Joel used the momentary distraction to light a second Molotov.

 ** _…_**

Ellie shoved the dead Stalker again, getting her feet out from under it. "Get off of me, you stupid motherfucker!"

 ** _…_**

Matthew made his way down the dock toward Joel.

The older man was still running from the Bloater, a Molotov in hand.

As Matthew passed a large crate, a Runner came out of nowhere, shoving him into a dumpster with four wheels.

Matthew got his bark covered arm up in time to occupy the Runner's teeth and grunted with exertion as he pushed the Runner away. The runner charged forward again.

Matthew punched it with his right fist and drew his knife, slashing the Infected's throat open.

 ** _…_**

Joel threw the Molotov.

The small bomb exploded close to the Bloater, engulfing its lower body in flame. The large Infected roared angrily and charged through the fire toward Joel.

Joel backed up and tripped on loose rope before topping backward to the ground.

The Bloater charged forward.

Joel drew his pistol and unloaded the clip. The bullets bounced harmlessly off the armor-like fungal plated skin of the Bloater. It continued its charge, shaking the entire dock.

In moments Joel would be dead.

Suddenly, Matthew charged into the Bloater with a dumpster on wheels.

Time slowed down for Joel as he witnessed the Bloater banging on the dumpster, causing it to flip forward.

Matthew was flipped with it, sending both him and Bloater into the water.

 ** _…_**

Ellie saw Matthew disappear under the water. "No," she gasped. "Please, no."

 ** _…_**

Matthew let go of the dumpster as he was submerged. He turned around in the water and saw the arm of the Bloater swinging toward him like a club. It collided with his face.

Blood rose in the water.

Matthew felt no more.

 ** _…_**

Joel rose to his knees. He couldn't see anything through the dark water rocking along the docks.

Ellie skidded to a stop next to him. "Did he come up?" she asked frantically. She looked at the water as well. "Joel, did he come up?"

Joel shook his head.

"Shit!" Ellie exclaimed. She threw down her bow and prepared to jump in.

Joel stopped her with a hand on her arm. "I'll get him!" he promised.

Joel threw his gas mask to the ground and dove into the water. After a few seconds, he opened his eyes and looked around. He saw the Bloater floating in the water, finally still. Then he saw Matthew.

The young man was floating as well, completely motionless.

 ** _…_**

Ellie waited on the dock for seconds that felt like hours. She was about to jump in when Joel emerged with Matthew tucked under one arm.

Blood covered Matthew's face. He wasn't moving.

"Joel!" Ellie shouted. She knelt and reached out a hand. "Bring him over here!"

Joel swam over and pushed Matthew up.

Ellie grabbed the young man's arm and hauled him onto the dock with a grunt. She rolled him on his back and massaged his face. "Matthew! Matthew, wake up!"

Joel crawled onto the dock as Ellie began shaking Matthew.

The older man ran over and knelt. "Ellie, move!"

Ellie moved aside and Joel began to preform CPR. She sat frozen next to Matthew.

Joel pressed down on Matthew's chest a few more times before motioning to Ellie. "I need you to breathe for me!" he told her.

Ellie couldn't move. _She_ couldn't breathe.

Joel continued to press on Matthew's chest. "C'mon, kid!" he exclaimed.

Ellie watched motionless.

Joel spoke again. "Ellie! If you want him to live, I need you to breathe!"

Ellie shook her head and did as Joel said.

They tried for a full thirty seconds with no results.

Joel continued to pump on Matthew's chest and looked at Ellie.

Tears were now falling from the young woman's face as Joel slowed his efforts.

"No…" Ellie whispered.

"Ellie…" Joel said. They continued CPR for another minute before his hands came to a rest on Matthew's chest. "Ellie, he's gone."

Ellie froze. _This isn't happening. It's not happening!_ She grew angry.

Joel said her name. The voice sounded distant. "Ellie…"

"No!" Ellie shouted. She shoved Joel aside and placed her hands on Matthew's chest. "No, you are not allowed to be dead!"

"Ellie…" Joel said again.

Ellie banged on Matthew's chest with a fist. "Wake up, Matthew!" she shouted, hitting him with her other fist. "Wake up!"

"Kiddo…" Joel began. "I'm sorry."

Ellie didn't look at him. "No! He is _not_ gone!" she cried, slamming on Matthew's chest again. "Almost everybody has left me!"

Slam.

"My mother left me!"

Slam.

"Marlene abandoned me!"

Slam.

"Sam died."

Slam.

Matthew still didn't move.

"Riley left me!" Ellie shouted. She used both fists to slam on his chest at the same time before grabbing his shoulders and shaking him while sobbing. "You're _not_ allowed to leave me! You are _not_ allowed to die!"

Ellie released Matthew's shoulders and raised her hands above her head, clenching them into fists.

"So wake—"

Ellie slammed down with her left fist.

"The fuck—"

Ellie slammed down with her right fist.

"Up!"

Ellie slammed his chest with both fists.

Matthew jolted upwards, water exploding from his mouth.

Ellie let out a shocked sob.

Matthew bent over to the dock and tried to cough as much of the water out of his lungs as he could.

Joel looked down in relief.

Matthew rolled on his back and sat up.

Ellie crawled behind him and supported his shoulders from behind.

Matthew coughed again. "What… what the hell happened?"

Nobody answered.

After a few more rounds of coughing, Matthew looked at Ellie. "I guess you were right about… fighting Bloater's head-on."

Ellie half laughed, half sobbed and hugged him from the behind, cradling him in her lap.

 ** _…_**

Joel watched as Ellie hugged Matthew as hard as she could.

Joel looked down the dock, then at the water. _Two Bloaters._ _God knows what's in Boston._

Joel looked back at Ellie, who had allowed Matthew to sit up. _We can't do this anymore. It's too dangerous._

Joel looked at Ellie.

Ellie looked back.

"We're done," Joel said calmly and firmly. He grabbed the gas mask and rose to his feet.

Ellie looked at him for a moment but didn't say anything. She helped Matthew to his feet.


	62. Chapter 62

After grabbing the guitars, Ellie, Matthew, and Joel walked a few more miles, making their way far from the docks. They stuck close to the lake, keeping an eye on the forested area behind them.

Nobody had spoken since their encounter with the Infected.

Ellie set up a small fire and sat next to Matthew, who had cleaned the dried blood off his face and currently had a light tarp salvaged from the docks wrapped around his body.

"Thanks for saving my life," Matthew said.

"Anytime," Ellie replied. "Are you doing alright?"

"I think you broke my ribs…" Matthew said with an exaggerated grunt.

Ellie leaned into him with her shoulder. "Your welcome."

 ** _…_**

Joel tossed a few pieces of cooked rabbit in front of Matthew and Ellie.

They ate in a tension filled silence.

When Joel finished, he stood and walked to his backpack, which he had laid next to a fallen log.

"Get some sleep," Joel ordered. He looked at Ellie. "We're leaving early tomorrow."

Matthew tightened the tarp around him.

Ellie put down her rabbit and walked up to Joel as he unzipped and zipped up his backpack.

"We're not done, Joel," Ellie said calmly.

"Ellie," Joel said, picking up her backpack and placing it next to his own. "We're not going to talk about this."

"Bullshit," Ellie said as she picked up her backpack and threw it away. She turned to Matthew. "Riley will be in the mall in the Boston Quarantine Zone. Liberty Gardens. Back where we got bitten."

"Ellie, that's enough!" Joel said sternly. "Even if you got to Boston, there could be hundreds of Infected—"

"I know!" Ellie snapped. "And I don't care. This is something I have to do, Joel. You can't make this decision for me! And unless you plan on dragging my ass all the way back to—"

Joel shook his head. "Why is this so important to you, Ellie?"

"Because I never got to say goodbye!" Ellie shouted, grabbing her backpack and throwing it again. "And I've never finished—"

"There's nothing to finish, Ellie."

"I'm doing this for Matthew," Ellie said through gritted teeth. She took a step forward. "I'm doing it for me. And I'm doing it for Riley."

"Ellie, Riley is dead!" Joel shouted. He made no attempt to lower his voice. "I'm sorry. It's a shit deal! But she is _dead_! And going on a suicide mission won't change—"

"Shut up!" Ellie shouted. She took a step forward, speaking through gritted teeth once again. "How dare you use Riley against me?"

Joel held up a hand, attempting to calm himself. "Using Riley is the last thing that I want to do, Ellie. But it's all I have left to make you understand—"

"Have I ever tried to use Sarah against you?" Ellie snapped, shoving him back slightly. Joel tried to speak but Ellie cut him off. "No, not once! Not _fucking_ once, Joel! You have no right to—"

"I have every right!"

"Fuck you, Joel!"

Ellie turned to walk away.

Joel reached for her arm. "Ellie, don't walk away from—"

"Let go of me!" Ellie spat. She swung herself around to escape Joel's grip, accidently backhanding him in the face.

The loud smack resounded around the camp site.

 ** _…_**

Off to the side Matthew rose to his feet, the tarp falling to the ground.

Ellie and Joel stood frozen in shock.

Joel stared at the ground, the side of his face still white from the blow.

Ellie's hand was still hanging in the air.

Nobody spoke.

Ellie looked at Joel. She was breathing heavily, unable to decide whether she wanted to scream or cry. After a moment, her eyes narrowed and her open hand slowly curled into a fist.

Ellie took a step forward, her nostrils flaring.

Matthew moved forward and grabbed Ellie's arm from behind. "Ellie, that's enough."

Ellie didn't take her eyes off of Joel. Her nostrils were still flaring. She spoke quietly. "Let go of me, Matthew."

Matthew moved between Ellie and Joel before releasing her arm. "Walk away," he said just as quietly.

Ellie took a deep breath and glared at Joel. "You're right," she said vehemently. "We're _done_."

Ellie turned and walked toward the lake less than fifty feet away.

Matthew let out a breath and ran a hand down his face before turning to Joel.

The older man sat down on a log, putting his face in his hands.

Matthew took a deep breath.

After a minute Joel lowered his hands and looked at Matthew. "That wasn't any of your business," he grunted.

"You were out of line," Matthew replied, looking at him.

"Only from your point of view, kid."

"That was my sister you involved!" Matthew said, raising his voice slightly. "When it comes to what happened to her, my point of view is the only one that fucking matters!"

Joel looked up as if he was about to reply. Instead, he angrily looked back down.

"When it comes to Ellie…" Matthew said after taking a breath. He continued to speak, calmer now. "That's a different story. I can accept that."

Joel didn't reply.

Matthew shook his head. "I'm going to go talk to her. See if I can't—"

"Sit down," Joel said sternly.

Matthew hesitated only for a moment before sitting down on a log across from Joel. The fire crackled between them.

Joel picked up a stick and began to poke at the ground.

They were silent for a few seconds.

"Ellie is this bravest girl I have ever met," Joel finally said, keeping his voice low. "She'll try to complete a task even if it's suicide."

"I know," Matthew said softly.

"But she's also a runner," Joel continued, still poking at the ground with the stick. "When the world is torn out from under her, she runs. It's her way of protecting herself. It's what happens when someone's been abandoned too many times. _You_ need to be careful."

"I'm not the one she's running from, sir."

CRACK.

The stick Joel was holding broke in half as he jammed it into the ground. He glared at Matthew. "You had better tread _very_ carefully with this line of conversation," the older man growled.

"I've had to hunt to survive, sir. I know how to tread carefully," Matthew replied calmly. He leaned back. "Being a hunter, I also understand perspective. And right now, the only perspective I have is hers. So, why don't you give me some?"

"You want perspective?" Joel asked, throwing the stick down. He let out a breath, gazing into the fire. "Fine. I had a daughter. She died the night of the outbreak.".

Matthew remained silent.

Joel stroked his broken watch with his thumb as stared into the fire. "She died in my arms."

Matthew continued listening in silence as Joel picked up another stick. The older man began to poke and prod at the fire.

Joel eventually threw the stick down. "After that, I went to a very dark place. I killed to survive. I killed innocent people. I drove everyone I cared about away because I was afraid…"

Joel wiped a single tear from his eye with a thumb, allowing Matthew to see weakness for the first time.

Still, Matthew said nothing.

Joel closed his eyes for a moment. "I was afraid that if I got close to someone again, I would get hurt," the older man said as he threw the stick to the ground. "Three years ago, I was in Boston. I was a smuggler. One day, I was given something to smuggle out of the city."

Matthew glanced behind him at Ellie and the lake before returning his gaze to Joel.

Joel grunted and shook his head. "I found myself in charge of a fourteen-year-old girl. The cure for mankind," he spat. "Or whatever was left of it. She became my purpose. I tried to resist getting attached, but she needed me."

The wind blew again, dimming the fire somewhat.

Joel continued. "She fought like hell to get to the Fireflies. She endured more than any child should. Eventually, we found them. We were almost there when all hell broke loose. We both wound up unconscious. When I came to, she was gone. And they told me that…"

Joel stopped for a moment.

Matthew looked the older man in the eye.

Joel closed his eyes took a deep breath, seemingly in order to regain his composure before continuing. His next words were spoken with both bitterness and sadness. "They told me that she was being prepped for surgery. They were going to _kill_ her. They were going to _cut_ her open and use her as a _Goddamn_ lab rat. And I wasn't going to lose…" Joel covered his mouth and shuttered as a few more tears fell from his eyes.

"You couldn't lose another daughter," Matthew completed quietly.

Joel took another deep breath. He still didn't meet Matthew's gaze.

Matthew glanced behind him again.

Ellie was now throwing stones into the lake.

Matthew returned his gaze to the older man. "Did you ever tell Ellie any of this?" he asked Joel.

"She knows how I feel."

"I don't think she truly does," Matthew disagreed. "How would she? You've always said—"

Joel held up a hand. "Just…" he interrupted sharply. He relaxed and lowered his voice again. "Just think about what I said. Okay, kid?"

Matthew nodded and stood.

 ** _…_**

Ellie threw another rock in the lake and sat down on the grass. _What the fuck is wrong with him? Riley was my only friend before… she was my only friend._

Ellie tore up a large clump of grass and threw it into the lake. She heard someone walking up behind her.

"Mind if I join you?" Matthew asked quietly.

"Fine," Ellie said. "But I don't want to talk."

"We don't have to talk," Matthew replied. He sat down next to Ellie without a word as the moon started to move out from behind the clouds. "We won't talk."

Soon the silence became too much for Ellie. She looked behind her and saw Joel gazing at his framed picture of Sarah.

Ellie looked at Matthew. "I saw you two," she said. "How the hell can you even speak to him after what he just did?"

"He and I have a certain… understanding," Matthew said carefully.

"Of course you do," Ellie snapped with a shake of her head. "Would it kill you to be mad at him? I really need someone to be mad with me."

"Both of us being mad at the same time never goes well," Matthew said lightly. He lowered his voice. "What are you even mad about?"

"What am _I_ mad about? Hmm, where to start?" Ellie said mockingly. She turned and glared at Matthew. "Let's see. We can start with the fact that I put my trust in him and he betrayed it. Then he killed a bunch of people. For me. Then he lied so that I would go with him to a place where I could never be happy. He did that for me as well. On top of _that_ , he lied to me for three _fucking_ years and when the truth finally comes out, he says that it was all _for_ _me_."

Matthew shook his head.

Ellie didn't stop. "It was in my best interests that I continue the life _he_ wants for me against my will. Then, just when I thought he couldn't hurt me anymore, he uses the best friend that I ever had to try and get me to do something that _he_ wants me to do. I'm sick and tired of not being in control of my life and I'm tired of my 'well-being' being the reason for all the… for everything that he did to me!"

"Are you done?" Matthew asked after Ellie fell silent.

"Not even close," Ellie grunted.

"Well since you're in a talking mood, let's examine this," Matthew said evenly as he leaned back and looked at her. He held up one finger. "First of all, he killed a bunch of people who were going to _kill_ you. He saved your life."

Ellie opened her mouth

Matthew held up another finger. "Secondly, to guarantee your continued _safety_ , he took you to one of the few safe places left in the world."

Ellie clenched her fist. "Now would be a good time for you to shut—"

"Thirdly," Matthew continued, talking over her as he raised a third finger. "You were _always_ in control of your own life. _You_ figured he was lying, and _you_ stayed anyway. I have never seen you do anything you didn't want to. So, if you want to talk about lies, maybe Joel was right about what he said back in Texas. You should look a little closer to home."

Ellie's looked away. She refused to talk to Matthew. She refused to even look at him.

"And no," Matthew admitted. "I don't agree with using your best friend and my sister as a tool to control you. But I can understand why he did."

Matthew finally stopped speaking.

Ellie stared at the lake's surface.

Matthew let silence wash over them.

The moon was now in full view overhead.

After a moment, Matthew sighed. "Did you ever stop to think that maybe it wasn't all about you?"

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Ellie asked.

Matthew ran a hand through his hair. "You're smarter than this, Ellie. Do you realize what your life means?"

"Yeah, Matthew," Ellie answered bitterly. "I do. Unfortunately, because of _him_ , it

amounts to exactly nothing."

Ellie looked out at the lake.

"You are his daughter," Matthew said firmly. "Whether or not he is your father is up to you. And _that,_ Ellie, is a choice only you can make."

Ellie stared at the moon's reflection in the water. Her hands twisted the grass again.

Matthew said no more.

Ellie's thoughts were racing.

 _Daughter. Right._

 _It's always Joel. He always comes._

 _He found me. He protected me._

 _He…_

Ellie's grip on the grass loosened.

 _What did I do to him when I left?_

A single tear fell from Ellie's eye and touched the ground next to her. She wiped her eye with the back of her hand and threw a stick at the water. _I hate being weak._

Ellie glanced at Matthew, who was still looking across the lake.

Ellie looked at the water again. "Why are you doing this?" she asked.

Matthew didn't turn. "Doing what?"

Ellie looked at him. "Why do you care what happens between me and Joel."

Matthew closed his eyes for a moment. "Because I don't want…" He sniffled and swallowed.

Ellie softened her features and placed a hand on his shoulder.

Matthew clenched and unclenched his fists. His voice cracked with every word. "I care… because I don't want you to lose what I threw away… Family."

Matthew put a hand on his face and took a deep, ragged breath, trying to regain control of his emotions.

Ellie grabbed the hand and turned Matthew toward her.

Matthew looked at her.

Ellie looked into Matthew's eyes. "You have me," she said.

Ellie leaned forward and kissed him.

Matthew quickly broke the kiss. After a few seconds, he kissed Ellie back. Their grips on each other's hands tightened and the full moon shined brightly overhead.

 ** _…_**

Joel looked up from Sarah's picture as Ellie and Matthew broke from the kiss.

Joel looked down as tears started to fall from his eyes. _I've lost her._

Joel kicked the fire, nearly extinguishing it.


	63. Chapter 63

Ellie pulled away.

Matthew still held her hand.

They stayed silent for a few minutes before Ellie put a hand on Matthew's shoulder. "I'm going to get something to eat," she said gently. "You want anything?"

"No," Matthew replied.

Ellie stood.

Matthew tightened his grip on her hand. "Ellie, I…"

"I know, Matthew," Ellie said with a small smile. "The feelings mutual."

 ** _…_**

Joel looked up as Ellie walked past him and sat on the other end of the log.

Sarah's picture sat on the ground between them.

Joel glanced at Ellie. The girl he cared most about in the world was looking into the fire, her smile constantly wavering and reforming.

When Ellie saw Joel staring, she looked down. "I'm sorry I hit you."

"Are you really?" Joel asked.

"A little."

"You look happy," Joel observed.

Ellie said nothing.

"We should practice," Joel said after a few minutes of silence. He picked up his guitar. "We missed a night."

Ellie still said nothing.

Joel strummed the first few notes of the song they had been working on for three years.

Ellie looked over for a moment and then looked back at the ground.

Joel started the song again.

Ellie sighed, pulled off the cloth covering her bite, and grabbed her guitar.

 ** _…_**

Matthew stood and began walking toward the camp. He stopped when he heard Ellie and Joel playing.

 ** _…_**

Joel and Ellie started slow.

After a few errors, they restarted the song. Soon, they started to play in synch. The first part of the song was played without error.

Joel found himself smiling as Ellie became lost in their song as she had so many times before.

 ** _…_**

Matthew paced just outside the perimeter of the camp as he listened to Ellie and Joel play their song.

Suddenly, there was a new noise far in the distance. Matthew, now behind Joel and Ellie, looked into the forest beyond. _Infected._ He glanced at Ellie and Joel.

They hadn't heard.

Matthew grabbed his crossbow, which was still clipped to his belt. _I'll take care of this._

 ** _…_**

Ellie continued to play, oblivious to the world around them. All she knew was Joel and their music. She felt a pang of nervousness as she drew closer and closer to the part of the song that she had never played through correctly.

 ** _…_**

After quietly incapacitating two Runners, Matthew caught a third around the neck as it ran past the tree he was using as cover. He snapped its neck and dropped it to the ground before using his crossbow to kill a fourth Runner. _Two left._

 ** _…_**

Ellie and Joel continued onto the hardest part of the song.

It was the moment of the song that they, in their many hours of practice, had come to describe as a representation sadness and hopelessness, accompanied with a glimmer of hope.

As always, Joel reached the hopeful notes first and waited for Ellie to join him. _C'mon, baby girl._

 ** _…_**

Matthew ran forward and knocked the fifth Runner to the ground. He used his boot to stomp in its head. Its soft skull shattered noisily.

A Clicker charged him. Matthew dodged to the side and quickly inserted his knife in the side of its neck. After kicking the wounded Clicker to the ground, Matthew knelt and plunged the knife through its skull.

 ** _…_**

Joel stopped playing as Ellie continued.

The young woman remained focused on her music. She played longer and harder than she ever had.

They reached the moment of the song that relied on their unwavering teamwork.

As Joel continued where Ellie left off, he realized that this was the best they had ever done. There was nothing holding them back in this moment.

It was just Ellie and him. Just like twenty years before, when it had been just Sarah and Joel.

 _No. This is different_. Joel stopped playing and Ellie continued. _Now, it's just us_.

Joel and Ellie began playing at the same time. _Me and Ellie. Me and Ellie alone._

 ** _…_**

Matthew leaned against a tree behind Ellie and watched as she took over the song once again. He made no sound. He simply listened and watched.

 ** _…_**

Ellie unconsciously turned toward Joel and away from the small fire, casting her bite into shadow.

Joel continued to play.

Ellie let the emotion flow through her and into the music. She finished her section of the song without error.

Joel began playing once again.

Ellie barely heard him. She glanced at her right arm. For the first time, she looked past the bite.

As Joel stopped playing and Ellie once again took over the song, she paid no attention to the scarred skin. Her eyes were fixed on Sarah's picture and on Joel. Just like the picture she had once taken with Riley, there was no indication of the hellish world around them.

There was no infection.

There was only a bond.

The moon moved behind a cloud and placed the Sarah's picture into shadow as well.

Then there was only Joel and Ellie. They played through the next part of the song together.

Ellie closed her eyes and played. _After everything that has happened, he has never abandoned me._ Ellie's playing picked up speed. _He's never asked more than I could give. He's never let anyone hurt me. Even after I hurt him. He's protected me as if I was his own…_

 ** _…_**

Joel looked up as Ellie abruptly stopped.

Joel stopped as well. They were less than thirty seconds away from the end of the song.

Ellie didn't offer any explanation.

"We we're close that time…" Joel's voice trailed off as Ellie began to shake. "Kiddo, what's—"

Ellie flung herself into him, warping her hands around him in a tight hug. "I'm sorry!"

she said loudly. "I'm sorry I said that I hated you! I'm sorry I abandoned you! I'm sorry for hitting you! I'm sorry that I hurt you! I…" Ellie choked out a sob and she spoke just above a whisper. "Don't leave me. Please… don't leave me."

Joel pulled Ellie close and began stroking her hair. "Oh, baby girl. It's okay," he said quietly. He felt tears forming in his own eyes. "It's okay, baby girl. It's okay. I'm sorry I hurt you too."

Ellie fell silent.

Joel just held her there. He looked over her shoulder and noticed Matthew.

The young man was leaning up against a tree, quietly observing.

Joel closed his eyes for a moment. _It was him. I don't know what he did or said, but it was him._ _He's the reason that she came back to me._

Joel looked over Ellie's shoulder again and lipped two words. _Thank you._


	64. Chapter 64

Matthew nodded once and turned away. _They deserve happiness._

The wind started to blow again.

Matthew walked around a tree and froze. His happiness for them was replaced by a sudden of rush fear. The smile on his face disappeared. _I can't come between that._

Matthew walked further. He settled in a grassy area over a hundred feet away from the camp.

It was further than he'd ever gone from Ellie.

Matthew understood that Ellie wasn't like him. She hadn't done the things he had. She deserved what Joel offered. Matthew had always understood that. _Riley had deserved what Joel offers. I took that away from her. I can't take that away from Ellie._

And yet, Matthew also felt a small, but undeniable, jealousy. He shook his head, ashamed of himself. _I'm not worth it._

Matthew let a few tears fall from his eyes. "It's time for me to go."


	65. Chapter 65

Ellie and Joel hadn't spoken since they'd finished practicing.

Ellie pulled Matthew's fallen tarp tighter around her.

"You cold?" Joel asked.

Ellie nodded.

Joel poked at the fire and the flames rose slightly. "Better?"

Ellie reached out and warmed her hands on the fire. "Better," she said appreciatively.

"Good," Joel said.

Ellie looked around. "Where did Matthew go?"

"He's fine," Joel said. He pointed to a group of trees. "I saw him making camp over there. He's probably asleep by now."

"You saw us earlier, didn't you?" Ellie asked, feeling her face turn red.

"Well, I wasn't spying."

"Right. Well…" Ellie smiled slightly and sighed. "I want to help him. What we're doing means a lot to me. Especially now that…"

"I know, Ellie," Joel said quietly. He kept his voice low but calm. "But you have to realize how dangerous this is going to get."

"That doesn't change anything," Ellie said firmly. She looked at him. "I don't want to fight with you anymore. It's exhausting and I'm so sick of fighting. But I'm going to do this. And I'd like to have you on my side again."

Joel was silent for a few seconds.

Ellie held her breath.

Joel put a hand on her shoulder. "I will always be on your side, Ellie."

Ellie smiled and looked at the fire again.

Joel shivered and reached over, attempting to grab the tarp.

Ellie pulled it tighter around her shoulders. "Mine."

Joel chuckled. "You should probably get some sleep, kiddo."

Ellie laid down on the cool grass, using her backpack as a pillow.

Joel grabbed his own backpack and walked to the other side of the fire.

Ellie spoke again. "I wasn't going to run."

"What?" Joel asked.

Ellie propped herself up on an elbow. "That night when I left Jackson, I was just going for a walk. I wasn't planning on leaving."

Joel pondered this for a moment. Then he knelt and looked her in the eye. "Will you come back?"

Ellie was silent, unable to hide the sadness, regret, and conflict within. "Can…" Ellie looked away. "Can we not talk about this tonight?"

"Yeah," Joel said, dousing the fire and laying on the ground.

Ellie rolled over. A moment later, she rolled to face him again. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," Joel said, rolling onto his side.

"Why didn't you tell me that you considered me your…" Ellie stopped speaking for a moment, attempting a more tentative approach. "Why didn't you tell me that you felt the same way about me as… as Sarah?"

Joel was silent for a few seconds. "It's hard to explain," he admitted. "I guess that after she died, I was afraid to get close to others. I didn't want to get hurt."

Ellie looked him in the eye. "Did… Do I make you feel weak?"

"No," Joel said quickly. "Not… not really. Everybody deals with loss differently. I lived in this world for a long time before I met you, Ellie. I didn't show… I didn't _let_ anything show. I didn't think I could confront my feelings _and_ stay alive."

"Old habits die hard, I guess," Ellie said unjudgmentally.

Joel nodded. He looked at Ellie, hoping that she didn't take anything personally. He spoke carefully. "I would be lying if said that you and Sarah don't share certain…"

"I get it," Ellie said gently. She allowed the conversation to end.

Joel slowly nodded. "Goodnight, baby girl."

Ellie turned her back to him and drew the tarp around her shoulders. "As long as I don't have to start calling you 'dad'. That just sounds awkward."

"Joel is fine," Joel replied with a smile. "Get some sleep."

Ellie leaned up for a moment and raised her voice. "Goodnight, Matthew."

 ** _…_**

Matthew didn't answer. He just laid on the ground, staring at nothing. He didn't feel the cold wind. Exhaustion washed over him. Soon, he fell into a dreamless sleep.


	66. Chapter 66

Matthew awoke just before sunrise.

The birds around him were chirping softly.

Matthew rose as quietly as he could and grabbed his backpack. He hesitated only a moment as he moved further from the camp. _Goodbye, Ellie._

Matthew kept walking, moving between the trees and up a small hill.

"Where you going, kid?"

Matthew turned to see Joel leaning up against a tree, his arms folded.

Joel pointed behind them. "Boston is that way."

"I'm not…" Matthew let out a breath and shook his head.

"Matthew," Joel said calmly, taking a step forward. "What's going on?"

Matthew sat down on the hill, facing Joel. "I'm not going to take her away from you, Joel," he said, pointing in the direction of Joel and Ellie's camp. "I saw you two last night. I never really understood until now what you two have."

Joel glanced in the direction of the camp as well.

Matthew looked down. "Sir, you are her best chance at a normal life," he explained. "I can't offer that. I can't guarantee life at all. It's best she goes back with you."

Joel was silent for a moment and took a deep breath. He sat down next to Matthew on the hill. "That's not for either of us to decide," the older man said, putting his hands together.

Matthew looked straight ahead and said nothing.

Joel continued. "Do you really think that she wouldn't come after you?"

"I guess not," Matthew admitted. "That's why I'm not going straight to Boston."

"I saw you guys last night too," Joel said, running a hand through his beard. "Like I said, this isn't for us to decide. Ellie's just as determined to help you as she was when we were looking for the Fireflies."

Matthew looked at Joel, confused.

"The way I see it, we're going to the same place," Joel said. He stood up and offered his hand to Matthew. "Come back. We'll figure this out another day."

Matthew hesitated a moment before taking the hand and allowing Joel to help him to his feet.

They started walking back toward the camp side by side and had only taken a few steps when Joel stopped. He looked at the ground. "Kid, thanks uh…" He seemingly forced himself to look at Matthew. "Thanks for protecting her all this time."

"I'm not her protector," Matthew said quietly.

Joel didn't reply. They continued walking.

After a minute, Matthew broke the silence. "I really do care about her, sir."

Joel sighed. "I know, kid. I can't say I'm comfortable with it," he said, once again keeping his voice calm. "But that doesn't mean much when it comes down to it."

Matthew pulled his backpack tighter around his shoulders.

Joel looked at the lake.

The sun began to rise.

"You should let her see the lake at sunrise," Joel suggested. "I'd reckon she'd like that."

 ** _…_**

 _Where the fuck are they?_ Ellie turned when she heard footsteps coming from behind.

Matthew walked slowly out of the trees. He didn't look up.

Then Ellie saw Joel walking out from the trees behind him. She knew instantly what had happened.

Matthew stopped a few feet away from Ellie and finally looked at her.

Ellie looked down. Matthew took a small step forward and Ellie looked up at him. She opened her mouth then closed it.

Ellie balled up her fist.

Matthew found himself on the ground. "Dammit, Ellie!"

Ellie reached down and grabbed him before shoving him up against a tree.

Joel clapped his hand up to his mouth to prevent himself from laughing.

Ellie glared at him before looking back at Matthew. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" she shouted, shoving him again. Matthew opened his mouth to answer but Ellie interrupted him. "Shut up! What the fuck is the matter with you, just taking off like that? Do you know how it feels to wake up and realize that everyone has left you?"

Ellie balled up her fist again and punched Matthew in the gut driving the air out of his lungs. He collapsed to the ground coughing.

"Ellie…" Joel cautioned, taking a step forward.

"That doesn't even cover half of it," Ellie said to Matthew, shaking out her hand. She turned and walked toward Joel.

Joel took a step back. "Ellie…"

Ellie gave him a hug. "Thank you for bringing him back," she whispered.

Joel nodded and lowered his voice as well. "He did it—"

Ellie shook her head and raised her voice so that Matthew could hear. "Yes. I know he did it for me," she said loudly, turning back to Matthew. "And if he ever says that, I'll kick his ass."

Ellie walked toward the lake and sat down. She let out a breath as the sun started to rise on the horizon.

A minute later, Matthew sat down next to her, nursing his cheek with a hand.

"I'm mad at you," Ellie said flatly.

"Yeah," Matthew said with a chuckle. "I got that. Can I—"

"No."

They were silent for a moment.

Ellie sighed dramatically. "Okay, fine. You can stay. But you'd better tell be something I want to hear."

"Yes. I tried to leave knowing it would hurt you," Matthew began. "That's not what I wanted, but I thought I needed to do it."

Ellie glared at him then looked at the ground and started talking to an imaginary figure. "'What happened to Matthew?' 'Oh, I don't know. I think he fell asleep underwater again'."

"Point taken," Matthew said, rolling his eyes. "Look at the lake."

The sun rose a minute later. The sky and water reflected in bright shades of pink and orange, accompanied by dark shades of blue. Ellie smiled slightly and looked at Matthew. He had a small cut on his cheek.

Ellie reached for the cut. "Sorry I…" Ellie shook her head and let her hand drop. "On second thought, I'm not sorry. Don't ever try shit like that again."

"Yes, ma'am," Matthew said, holding up his hands in surrender. "I could tell I pissed you off after the _first_ punch."

"You should have seen what I did to Joey one time," Ellie muttered, briefly lost in old memories.

Matthew raised his eyebrow. "And Joey is…"

Ellie looked back at the lake. "He's Joel's nephew."

"Tommy's son," Matthew guessed. "What did _he_ do to make you mad?"

Ellie grunted with a half-smile on her face. "He was always annoying and most of the time I could deal with it. Except one day, when we were hanging out, he said…" Ellie stopped speaking. She blushed and looked away.

"A blush is rare," Matthew said, scooting a little closer. "Do tell."

Ellie was silent for a moment. She looked out at the lake again before turning slightly and extending her right arm. "Joey was one of the three people in Jackson who knew about… anyway, he tended to say stupid things without thinking. He suggested that I uh… Well, having kids would solve a lot of the world's problems… eventually."

"Oh…" Matthew said, clearly at a loss for words. "That's awkward. He didn't suggest that you and he…"

"No. Ew, no," Ellie said with a small laugh. "He said what he said and I got a little pissed. Joel and Tommy pulled me off of him before I could do any real damage."

They sat in silence for a short time.

Ellie closed her eyes, allowing memories of Jackson to surface. She opened her eyes when she remembered her final night.

"The last thing I said to Joey was 'get the fuck away from me'," Ellie said regretfully.

"I'm sure he understood," Matthew said, placing a cautious hand around her shoulder.

"I hope so," Ellie replied quietly.

Matthew was silent for a while. He put a small amount of pressure on Ellie's shoulder.

Ellie looked at him. "What?"

Matthew looked at her. "Why did you kiss me last night?" he asked.

"Excuse me?" Ellie asked.

Matthew shrugged. "I was just wondering why you kissed me."

Ellie was hesitated a moment before speaking. "I don't know. I felt bad for you," she said.

Matthew shifted uncomfortably.

Ellie froze. _Fuck. That was awkward._ Ellie started speaking quicker. "It wasn't just that. I mean, I like you. You're like, the one of the only two best friends I've ever had and you're my first best friend's brother and you've always been really understanding and you've done a lot for me and Joel and I just… I wanted to kiss you."

Matthew relaxed. "Okay."

"Really?" Ellie exclaimed. "' _Okay?'_ That's it?"

"I was just wondering," Matthew said simply.

Ellie shook her head and gave him a mischievous smile. "Why'd you kiss me back?" she asked.

"Because you kissed me."

"Right," Ellie said. She leaned a little closer. "Well, maybe we can do it again the next time we're camping next to a lake."

"We're gonna have to make a lot of detours," Matthew said under his breath.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing."

 ** _…_**

Joel finished zipping up his backpack as Ellie and Matthew walked back from the lake.

A rabbit ran out of a nearby bush.

Matthew saw it and grabbed his crossbow. "Lunch is on me, today."

Ellie smiled as the young man walked away in pursuit of the rabbit.

Joel cleared his throat to get Ellie's attention.

Ellie walked over, grabbed her backpack, and sat next to Joel on the log. "The lake was pretty," she said, pulling at her fingers.

"I bet," Joel replied. He knew this conversation was about to get uncomfortable. "Do you like this kid, Ellie?"

"No, I hate him," Ellie said sarcastically. "He's the bane of my existence."

Joel stood up. "Oh… good."

Matthew came back with the rabbit strapped to his belt. He pointed north, along the lake. "That way?"

Joel nodded.


	67. Chapter 67

When they reached the edge of the lake, the trio turned east.

Ellie, Joel, and Matthew walked in calm silence for much of the day.

Joel and Ellie walked alongside each other.

Ellie looked at Joel again. He seemed relaxed. Ellie smiled. "So how did he do it?" she asked.

"Do what?"

Ellie pointed ahead of them. "Matthew. What did he say to get you to come out of your shell?"

"I don't know," Joel said, taking the joke in stride. "What did he say to you?"

"I don't know," Ellie said with a shrug. "I think he's been working at this for a while."

The sun began to set in the distance.

"Soooo…" Ellie started awkwardly. "What if I did like him?"

"Then there would be rules and boundaries," Joel answered.

"Of course there will be," Ellie said, rolling her eyes. She called ahead to Matthew. "Turn your ears off."

Ahead of them, Matthew quickened his pace.

"First of all," Joel began. "No more swearing."

"Fuck that."

"Okay, that's negotiable," Joel allowed. He spoke sternly for a moment. "If you ever swear at me like you did last night, or hit me again, there will be a punishment."

"Okay, okay, I get it. I'm sorry," Ellie said. She raised her right hand. "I won't swear _at_ you. But if you're dumb… I might hit you."

"Second," Joel continued. "Kissing is at a minimum."

Ellie groaned dramatically before looking back at him. "What if you're not looking?" she asked.

"I wasn't finished," Joel said. "If we're taking shelter for the night, all doors stay open if you two are together."

Ellie raised an eyebrow. "I don't know if I want you to elaborate on that or if I should just let it go. I mean, what would I do alone with him that I wouldn't do in front of…" Then it clicked. Ellie cracked up laughing. "Oh, you think _that's_ going to be a problem?"

"Look, I was a teenager once too," Joel said in amusement.

"Yeah, like seventy years ago," Ellie mumbled. "Anything else?"

"If I think of something, I'll let you know."

They found Matthew leaning up against a bus on the edge of an abandoned highway. It was now dark.

Ellie walked up to the bus and leaned next to him. "What do you think?" she asked.

Matthew pointed at the bus. "I think stopping here for the night is a good idea."

"I think we should stay on the highway for a while," Joel added. "There may be a few scavengers and some Infected, but at least it has cover. When get closer to Detroit, we're going to have to be very careful."

 ** _…_**

The night grew cloudy. Rumblings of thunder could be heard in the distance.

Joel, Ellie, and Matthew decided to wait until morning to search for supplies and entered the bus.

Joel sat down on a set of seats facing the front of the bus. Ellie sat back against a group of wall seats and looked around. Matthew sat down on the wall seats opposite of Ellie.

"So, people would use these to get around when they had no money?" Ellie asked.

"People rode these things for a lot of different reasons," Joel explained. "Money. Jobs. School. Tours."

"How many people did this thing hold?" Ellie asked.

"As many seats as you can see," Joel said, motioning around the bus. "Plus, anywhere someone could stand."

"Did you ever try ride in anything like this?" Matthew asked.

"A few times," Joel answered "I had a couple different gigs around the city. The night of the outbreak, my biggest worry was losing my job."

Ellie glanced at him. "Really?"

"It's amazing how trivial some of the problems in the old world were," Matthew muttered.

"How do you know what the old world was like?" Joel inquired without judgement.

"I only know what I've read," Matthew replied.

Joel stroked his watch again.

Matthew leaned forward. "Sir, if you don't mind me asking, why do you keep a broken watch?"

Joel took his hand away from his watch.

Ellie glanced at Joel, a look of concern on her face.

Joel took a deep breath. "It was my birthday present… from Sarah."

Matthew looked down. "I'm sorry."

Joel looked down as well. "Yeah."

"When is your birthday?" Ellie asked Matthew.

"September 1st, I think."

"You _think_?" Ellie repeated skeptically.

"I guess I haven't paid attention to that kind of thing for years," Matthew said. "The last birthday I remember was the time I got a new chess set and Riley got a water gun."

"That one of our favorite games," Ellie said, stretching. "We would sneak out and have water gun fights. Then we got caught…"

"I was soaked by the end of our birthday," Matthew said as thunder sounded overhead. He looked at Ellie again. "When's _your_ birthday?"

Ellie looked down and didn't answer.

Lightning flashed and was followed by loud thunder that shook the bus. Rain started to patter softly on the windows.

"We'll have to be careful tomorrow," Joel said. "The Infected may be drawn or scattered by the storm."

"Well, they can wait till morning. I'm tired," Ellie said. She stretched out along the seats and looked at Matthew. "Where are you sleeping?"

"There's a semi with an open trailer a couple cars away," Matthew said.

"Well, I'll see you in the morning," Ellie said. She yawned and turned over.

Five minutes later, Ellie was asleep.

 ** _…_**

Joel stood as well and walked over to Ellie, covering her up with a blanket he'd found under a seat.

Matthew stood by one of the windows as lighting split the sky again. The young man clenched and unclenched his fists.

Joel sat down again. "What's in your head, kid?"

Matthew turned and sat as well, speaking quietly so as not to disturb Ellie. "I… Ellie has told me so much about Riley, but… every time I hear my sister's name, all I can think of is that little girl who I…" Matthew looked at the floor and intertwined his fingers. "I can't even see her as a teenager. I only see Ellie."

Joel scratched the back of his head. "Well, Ellie has a way of reminding us all of what mattered… matters the most to us."

Matthew nodded.

After a few seconds of silence, Joel reached into his backpack and grabbed the chess set, placing it on the floor at the front of the bus. "We haven't played in a few days."

"I guess not," Matthew said, sitting down. He helped Joel set up the board.

"White or black?" Joel asked.

"Black," Matthew answered. He placed the last piece on the board. "Thanks again for listening, sir."

"Anytime," the older man replied. "You _are_ allowed to call me 'Joel' by the way."

"White goes first."

Joel went to make his first move and stopped, his hand hovering over a pawn. He looked at Matthew.

Matthew gave him a confused look.

"Before we start, you have to promise me something," Joel said, looking Matthew in the eye. "Don't hold back this time."

Matthew raised an eyebrow. "I've been holding back?"

Joel moved his pawn without a word.

Matthew moved his knight a moment later.

Five minutes later, the game was over.

"Jesus," Joel said, tipping his king over for a third time in twenty minutes.

"What?" Matthew asked. "You told me not to hold back."

Joel shook his head, still examining the board.

There were very few white pieces left. Joel's king was trapped in the middle of the board.

"There's a difference between playing your best and eviscerating your opponent!" Joel exclaimed.

"We all have to be good at something," Matthew said simply. "You want to try again?"

"You've kicked my ass enough," Joel said, shaking his head again. "But uh… you should teach Ellie sometime. She once said she wanted to learn."

"She said she was going to teach me Poker later," Matthew said.

"I wouldn't make any huge bets," Joel cautioned.

Ellie suddenly sat up, breathing heavily. She looked around and saw Matthew and Joel, relaxing slightly.

"You okay?" Joel asked, standing.

Ellie nodded. She looked out the window. It was raining hard. "What time is it?"

"It's only been a half hour," Matthew said. "You should get some more rest."

Ellie stood, walked over to their backpacks, and gathered the water bottles.

"What are you doing?" Joel asked.

"The water hasn't been filled yet," Ellie said.

Joel nodded, taking the hint. "Be careful."

"Always."

 ** _…_**

Ellie exited the bus and moved along the cars. She hopped up into an open trailer on a semi to keep herself dry and held two of the water bottles out the back of the truck.

Ellie let her thoughts drift back to her newest nightmare. _What if he does leave? What if he asks me to leave? I don't want to be alone again. He's one of the only people other than Joel who understands me._

Ellie continued to watch as the water bottles were filled from the pouring rain. After a minute, she smiled and started to fill the final water bottle. _It's not a problem today, Ellie. Not right now._

As the rain stopped, Ellie saw Matthew hop out of the bus a short distance away and walk toward her.

Ellie took a big swig of water.

Matthew finally stopped in front of her.

"I don't suppose you want to talk about the nightmare earlier," Matthew said.

Ellie shook her head.

Matthew shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans. "I don't even get a verbal answer this time?"

Ellie shook her head again.

Matthew rolled his eyes. "Well this has been a nice talk, but you're in my room," he said motioning to the semi.

Ellie glanced in the open trailer, then at Matthew.

Matthew raised an eyebrow. "You're about to do something mean, aren't you?"

Ellie spat a long line of water into the young man's face.

Matthew covered his face in surprise. "Hey, not cool!"

Ellie smiled and hopped out of the semi, running past him.

Matthew gave chase.

Ellie looked behind her and dropped to the ground, rolling under the semi. She didn't stop until she emerged on the other side.

Matthew bent down to find her.

With a laugh, Ellie ran around to the back of the semi and grabbed a water bottle. She moved behind Matthew and dumped the rest of it on his head.

Matthew turned in surprise. "What's with you and water tonight?" he asked, shaking his head.

"You need a bath."

"Really?" Matthew said, raising an eyebrow.

Ellie stuck out her tongue and started to walk away.

Matthew grabbed Ellie around the waist. "You're coming with me," he grunted, picking her up and hauling her toward the semi.

Ellie tried in vain to escape his grasp. "Not fair," she shouted. "You're bigger than me!"

"You should have thought of that before you messed with me," Matthew replied as he set Ellie down in the back of the semi.

"Hey!" Ellie said, folding her arms. "You'd better be careful or I'll tell Joel you're being mean."

Matthew snorted. "Wow, that's the best you got? Well, I'm not scared. But you should be."

"Oh yeah, what do I have to be scared of?" Ellie asked confidently, leaning toward him.

Matthew leaned forward as well. "Karma," he whispered in her ear.

Matthew grabbed the two water bottles behind her and poured them over Ellie simultaneously. Ellie turned way and quickly covered her face. Matthew stopped pouring.

"You dick!" Ellie exclaimed as she brushed water off her face. "I only used _one_ water bottle."

"Well technically," Matthew said, examining the bottles in his hands. "I only used half of each. So…"

Matthew positioned the bottles over her head and prepared to empty them. Ellie quickly leaned forward and kissed him. Matthew froze in surprise and returned the kiss. Ellie quickly grabbed the water bottles in his hands and tipped them over Matthew's head.

Matthew broke the kiss and backed up quickly.

Ellie sat back with a triumphant look on her face.

Matthew looked at the water bottles. "Well, now they're empty," he said. "And look, it's stopped rain—"

Suddenly, there was another downpour.

Matthew sighed and shook his head.

Ellie moved aside to let him get into the trailer.

 ** _…_**

Joel smiled as Matthew hopped into the truck next to Ellie, who was also smiling.

Joel shook his head. _Kids._ He stopped smiling and looked at Ellie again. She was attempting to dry off Matthew's hair with her arm.

Joel sat and ran a hand down his face. _I may still lose her._

With a sigh, Joel glanced out the window as Ellie hopped off the semi and walked toward the bus.

Joel closed his eyes. _But not today._

Joel opened his eyes as Ellie reentered the bus. She was soaked.

Joel moved aside as Ellie sat next to him. "Having fun?" he asked.

"I know, I know," Ellie said, rolling her eyes. "Be more careful and blah, blah, blah. But sometimes it's nice to just… never mind."

"It's just nice being a kid?" Joel suggested, putting a hand on her shoulder.

Ellie nodded. "Whatever that means."

They were silent for a few minutes as the rain pounded against the outside of the bus. "It's been easier being with someone your age," Joel said. "Hasn't it?"

"Yes," Ellie admitted. "I mean back in Jackson, there were other kids I suppose, but…"

"You couldn't get close to them," Joel completed.

Ellie nodded. "Yeah. Joey was cool most of the time. But I could never join the rest of them," she said with regret. She glanced at her bite. "Clubs. Sports. Real friends. None of them were really an option."

"I'm sorry that you couldn't be a part of those things," Joel said. "I really am."

"I mean, it wasn't all bad," Ellie admitted. "But it was always hard."

"Is that why you left?" Joel asked.

Ellie was silent for a minute. "I left because I felt lost," she answered. She pulled on her fingers. "Then, when I had a chance to go back, I couldn't think of a reason to."

"Do you ever regret leaving," Joel asked, partially scared of the answer. "I mean, do you ever miss it."

Ellie shrugged. "Sometimes. But I still don't feel like I belong there. I can't just forget everything," she said calmly, looking at Joel. "I'm sorry. I'm not built that way."

Joel nodded and let the subject drop. He got up and sat on the other side of the bus as Ellie laid back down on the seat.

Ellie looked at Joel again. "What do you miss most?"

"About what?" Joel asked.

"Jackson."

"Coffee," Joel answered without hesitation.

Ellie laughed and rolled onto her back, staring at the ceiling. "Soda."

Joel chuckled. "I miss having a safe place to go every night."

"Nightmares kinda ruined that for me," Ellie said. She closed her eyes. "But you're right. At least I woke up in a safe place. Still, I hated my room."

"Why's that?" Joel asked.

Ellie averted her eyes. "I hated waking up alone," she said. "Especially after nightmares."

"I'm sorry," Joel said, sitting up straighter. "I never knew that. You were always so… independent."

"I didn't want to feel weak," Ellie explained. "I didn't want to _look_ weak. Not in front of you."

Lighting flashed and the loud rumbling of thunder shook the bus again.

Ellie sat up and looked out her window in Matthew's direction.

Joel saw a change in Ellie's posture.

The young woman sat up and pulled her backpack toward her.

Joel stood. "Where are you going?"

"This is so stupid," Ellie said. She put her backpack around her shoulders and pointed toward the open trailer of the semi. "He shouldn't have to run off every night."

Joel walked in front of her and repeated his question. "Ellie, where are you going?"

Ellie grabbed her guitar. "Joel, he doesn't deserve to go through this shit alone. I want to help."

Joel put his hand on her guitar case. "I get it, but—"

"Calm down," Ellie said, turning away from him. "I'll be fine."

Joel tightened his grip on her guitar. "No."

Ellie looked at the floor and nodded in understanding. Then she shook her head. "If it was me and not him, what would you do?"

Joel sighed. "I'd support you any way that I could," he said, resigned.

Ellie looked at Joel's hand.

Joel let go of her guitar.

Ellie walked past him. She stopped before exiting the bus. "Support me, Joel."

Joel watched as Ellie walked out of the bus without another word and made her way to the semi.

Joel turned and grabbed his guitar.

 ** _…_**

Matthew looked up from his book as Ellie hopped into the trailer and set down her guitar.

Matthew marked his page and closed the book. "Everything okay?"

Ellie nodded and laid her backpack on the ground, flipping it over.

"What are you doing?" Matthew asked.

"Trying to sleep," Ellie replied, laying down and using her backpack as pillow. "Stop talking."

"No," Matthew said firmly.

"Funny," Ellie said with a chuckle. "Joel told me the same thing. You see how well _that_ worked out."

Matthew folded his arms. "He's right, Ellie."

"No Matthew, he's not," Ellie argued. "And neither are you."

"Look, I get what you're trying to do and I…" Matthew let out a sigh. "I appreciate it. But it's too dangerous. After the other night—"

"That's not going to happen again," Ellie said with certainty.

Matthew attempted to stand.

Ellie grabbed his arm and pulled him back down.

Matthew pulled away from her grip. "Why are you doing this?" he asked.

"Because you helped me," Ellie answered. "And now I'm going to help you."

Matthew was about to argue further when the front door of the semi opened.

Joel hopped the driver's seat, depositing his guitar and backpack on the seat next to him.

Matthew glanced at Ellie and saw a small smile on her face.

Joel looked forward.

Matthew shook his head and laid down, speaking almost to himself. "This is a bad idea."

Ellie reached over, grabbed his hand, and held it. "Just… squeeze if you need me."

 ** _…_**

Joel slept lightly that night. He awoke to every movement.

Matthew stirred. His grip on Ellie's hand tightened.

Ellie's eyes opened for just a moment before she squeezed back.

Matthew relaxed, still asleep.

A few hours later, Joel saw the process repeated with reversed roles.


	68. Chapter 68

Matthew awoke to Ellie tossing and turning beside him. He sat up and put a hand on her shoulder.

Ellie ceased her movement and fell back asleep.

Matthew stood and hopped out of the trailer.

The sun had just risen. Cars glistened brightly from the rain drops created by the storm the night before. Matthew walked around to the side of the trailer containing a ladder. He climbed up and sat down on the vehicle's roof.

Joel sat next to him a few seconds later. Neither of them spoke.

"Long night," Joel said awkwardly.

"Your daughter can be stubborn," Matthew said.

"Dangerously so," Joel grunted.

"I didn't like it either," Matthew said as he put his hair up into a ponytail.

"Did it help?" Joel asked.

Matthew nodded reluctantly. He swallowed. "I don't think this is going to be a one-time thing," he said seriously, looking at Joel. "If I have I another… you do what you have to do."

"I'm glad we have an understanding," Joel said. He sighed. "I think it helped her too."

Joel hopped off the truck.

A moment later, Matthew joined him.

They spent the next half hour scavenging through the nearest cars while discussing strategies to enter Boston.

Joel suggested that they avoid Hartford due to the collapse of the zone in that area.

Matthew agreed. Ellie had mentioned that Hartford was a no go days before.

They found a few bottles of alcohol, some cloth, and half a box of 9mm bullets. When they got back to the semi, they divvied up the supplies.

Joel glanced inside the truck.

Ellie was still asleep. She lay facing the other direction.

Joel let out a breath. "We should wake her soon."

Matthew nodded. He walked to the back of the semi.

Before hopping in, Matthew turned back to Joel. "You were as opposed to the idea of her sleeping near me as I was," he said to the older man. "Why did you let it happen?"

 ** _…_**

Ellie opened her eyes as Joel answered.

"My daughter asked me to support her."

Ellie smiled slightly and closed her eyes. She felt a hand on her shoulder a few seconds later. She opened her eyes and stood, trying to forget the final moments of her dream.

 _I may have to make a choice._


	69. Chapter 69

Fall:

September

Joel, Ellie, and Matthew stood outside an abandoned pool in Toledo, Michigan.

The previous month had been long. There Infected herds had roamed the area. It was apparent that they were the remains of refugees attempting to move from zone to zone.

Because of these unpredictable events, the trio had spent many days in hiding, attempting to avoid detection by both Infected and Hunters. They found themselves short on supplies when they came across another abandoned Quarantine Zone.

Ellie raised an eyebrow. "A ration depot at a pool?"

"There's only one entrance," Joel observed. "That makes it easily defendable."

"Or so they thought," Matthew muttered. "It looks abandoned."

"Here's hoping that it's not empty," Ellie said as they reached the front doors.

"The storage room will probably be in the old restroom," Joel informed them.

 ** _…_**

Two minutes later, they found themselves in one of the pool's locker rooms.

Matthew turned as Ellie slammed the door to the storage room shut and latched it.

"What the hell, Ellie?" Matthew exclaimed as something started banging on the door from the other side. "Do you realize what we could have found in there?"

"Yeah, Matthew," Ellie replied sharply as she walked past him. "I know what we could have found in the storage unit of a ration center."

"Then why the hell are you barricading the only entrance?" Matthew demanded.

"It had Infected in it," Ellie answered shortly, opening a nearby locker to search for supplies.

"How many?"

"One," Ellie said quietly. "It was a Runner—"

Matthew shook his head and loaded another arrow. He walked toward the storage room door.

Ellie turned and blocked his path. "Just leave it," she said firmly. Matthew tried to move past her and she shoved him backwards. "I said to fucking leave it, Matthew!"

"What is your problem, Ellie?" Matthew shouted. "Just move and I'll take care of it! We could have supplies for an entire—"

"Hey!"

Both Matthew and Ellie turned to see Joel walking toward them.

"What is going on?" Joel asked sternly.

Matthew and Ellie looked at each other.

Ellie shook her head and glared at Matthew. "You want to kill a child, be my guest," she said through gritted teeth. "But I can't do it. Even if he is infected."

Ellie walked past Matthew, giving him a hard shove before turning the corner and exiting the locker room.

Joel looked at Matthew. "Did you know?" he asked quietly.

"No," Matthew answered.

Joel sat down on a nearby bench.

Matthew glanced at the barricaded door behind him and sat against the wall. The banging on the door finally stopped.

Matthew clenched his fist for a moment. "Nobody should have to suffer that way," he said. "Out of their own control. Especially a child."

There was another loud bang on the barricaded door.

Matthew closed his eyes and tried to ignore the sound. A moment later, he looked at Joel. "What would you do?" he asked the older man.

"You don't want to cross that line, kid."

Matthew stood and walked toward the exit to the locker rooms.

Joel remained seated, checking his pistol.

Before exiting, Matthew stopped. "I'm sorry if you've had to cross those lines."

 ****Joel sat down on a nearby bench. "Me too, kid."

Matthew looked down, standing in place.

 ** _…_**

At the front desk, Ellie opened another drawer and closed it.

The pool had little to no supplies. Along the desk were some military papers and a few pens. There were no signs of she officers that used to work in the area nor of those who worked at the pool prior to the outbreak.

Ellie looked down and shook her head in frustration. A picture on the floor caught her eyes. She picked it up.

Depicted on it was the same infected boy that Ellie had trapped in the storage room. He was still in the same red shirt and blue jeans. Next to him was an older man, presumably his father. The older man also wore a red shirt and blue jeans.

There was a body lying on the floor beside Ellie with a large hole in its side. A small note lay on the ground beside the body.

Ellie knelt and picked up the note.

It had bloody fingerprints on it.

 **Kathy,**

 **They found us. We tried to leave Detroit and they found us! Those Hunters chased us.**

 **You always said they wouldn't let us leave. I should have believed you. I'm so sorry. I**

 **hid Colten in a nearby diner before they found me.**

Ellie's fists clenched. There was a diner across the street from the pool. It had been filled with spores. Ellie forced herself to continue reading.

 **They shot me… I'm not going to make it to you. I hope that Colten can. It's only a few blocks. I told him how to get there. I hope that this note finds its way to both of you.**

 **I lov**

Ellie dropped the unfinished note. She continued searching for supplies, attempting to forget what she had learned.

Matthew walked out of the locker room as Ellie rummaged through the drawers behind the front desk.

"Nothing," Ellie said, glancing at Matthew and keeping her voice even. "There's nothing here."

Matthew walked over to a vending machine and took it apart, gathering the loose change for arrows. "It's late, we should get some rest," he suggested, following Ellie's lead and avoiding their argument. "We'll be by Lake Erie tomorrow morning."

"Great name for a lake," Ellie muttered.

Joel came out of the locker room. "Anything?" he asked.

Ellie shook her head.

Joel nodded. "Well, I cleared the other locker room. We'll be safe for tonight."

Matthew grabbed Ellie and Joel's guitars from the entrance and walked into the locker room to their right. Ellie closed another drawer and moved on to the next.

Once Matthew was out of earshot, Ellie looked at Joel. "I'm sorry we were shouting," she told him. "It was stupid."

"No harm, no foul," Joel said calmly. "It's not easy when you come across something

like that."

"Matthew's a great person," Ellie said, walking out from behind the counter. "But sometimes I want to take his crossbow and ram it up his—"

"I get it," Joel said.

Ellie remained silent for a few seconds. She looked at the locker room Matthew had entered. "I don't think he would have gone through with it," she said to herself. "He wouldn't kill a child."

Joel put a hand on her shoulder. "I don't think he would either."

 ** _…_**

Matthew put down his backpack and his crossbow.

Ellie and Joel walked into the locker room and set their stuff next to his.

Ellie walked up to Matthew. "You got a sec?"

Matthew nodded and glanced at Joel.

"Five minutes," Joel said.

 ** _…_**

Ellie and Matthew walked outside. A cool breeze moved through the area, followed by occasional scent of rotted wood and decaying corpses.

"I'm sorry I lost my temper," Matthew said after a moment of silence. "I didn't know."

Ellie grunted. "Maybe if you would have if you'd let me speak…" She took a deep breath and softened her tone. "Look, I don't want to fight. I _hate_ fighting."

"I don't want to fight either."

Ellie nodded and looked into the distance as Matthew did the same.

It was minute for either spoke again.

"If I had walked in there… I don't think I could have gone through with it," Matthew admitted. He folded his arms slightly and turned to Ellie. She met his gaze as he continued speaking. "But you have to understand, that when we get to Boston, and we go into that mall… I won't hesitate when I find Riley. It's just something I have to do."

Ellie didn't say anything. She simply walked back to the pool.

"If you don't want to see that," Matthew said, walking with her. "I understand. But I'm not going to let my sister suffer any longer."

"I'm not going there to kill her, Matthew," Ellie stated firmly. "I'm going there to say goodbye."

 ** _…_**

Joel opened his eyes as Matthew and Ellie rejoined him.

Joel closed the door leading to the indoor pool. "You two good?" he asked.

Ellie nodded and latched the door behind her. "We're good."

They set up camp in the shower room.

Matthew closed his eyes and fell asleep first.

Joel covered Ellie with an old towel as she reached over, grabbed Matthew's hand, and squeezed.


	70. Chapter 70

"Here we are," Matthew said as the sun slowly began to set. "Lake Erie."

Ellie looked at the large lake in front of them. "Lake Erie doesn't look too _eerie_ to me."

"How long have you been waiting to knock that joke off your list?" Matthew asked with a laugh.

Ellie rolled her eyes. "Hey, at least my joke is better than…" She lowered her voice in an attempt to impersonate Matthew. "'There's plenty to look at in this world. You just have to be willing to open your eyes to it.'"

Joel sniggered from behind them. "You actually said that to her?"

Ellie cocked an eyebrow when Matthew remained silent. "Oh, wait. That wasn't even a joke which automatically makes _me_ funnier than _you_."

"Can we please go?" Matthew pleaded.

Ellie took the lead as they made their way towards the lake. They walked along the side of an abandoned road toward a bridge that crossed into Ohio. There were trees and bushes that separated them from the lake itself.

Matthew stopped moving and looked behind them at the city.

Joel stopped as well. "Something wrong?" he asked.

Matthew waited a moment before answering. "No bodies."

"What?"

"When we were leaving the city, there were no bodies," Matthew explained. "We spent almost two weeks in Toledo dodging Infected and Hunters. We get to the edge of the city and then… nothing? I don't like it."

Joel glanced back as well.

Ahead of them Ellie hopped over a guard rail on the side of the road.

"It may be nothing," Matthew said after a moment.

"Maybe," Joel agreed. "But keep an eye out."

They jumped over the guard rail.

 ** _…_**

Ellie walked around a tree and stopped when she spotted something in the water.

All was silent except for the wind that rustled the leaves on the nearby trees.

Ellie set aside her guitar, knelt, and crept forward.

 ** _…_**

Matthew and Joel walked side by side.

After a few seconds, Joel glanced at Matthew. "So, after we finish this," the older man started. "What do you plan to do next?"

"I don't think about it," Matthew answered.

Joel chuckled. "Funny, I thought you've thought of everything."

Matthew grunted. "Don't I wish."

"You talk to Ellie about it?"

Matthew stopped and looked Joel in the eye. "Is this about me or her?"

"Probably a little bit of both," Joel admitted. "Sometimes, she doesn't talk to me like she used to."

There was a rustling in the leaves behind them.

Matthew turned for a second, then turned back to Joel.

Joel didn't seem to notice anything.

"The way I see it, things will be what they will be," Matthew said calmly. "I just hope that nobody gets hurt in the end."

Matthew looked behind him as another twig snapped. _We're definitely not alone._ He gave Joel an intense look.

Joel looked behind Matthew and nodded in understanding, setting down his guitar and grabbing the pistol from his belt.

Matthew raised his crossbow and slowly moved toward a tree as Joel did the same. Matthew and Joel swung around the tree at the same time.

There was a man not much older than Joel with a grey beard and mustache standing there. He had dark brown eyes and held himself tall and strong despite his age. He wore blue jeans and a ripped white t-shirt. He currently had a gun pointed at Matthew's chest.

Matthew spoke though gritted teeth. "Drop the gun."

"I'd do what the boy says," Joel added, placing his own gun against the man's head.

The old man glanced at Joel and looked at him curiously for a moment. Then he slowly lowered the gun.

Joel reached over and grabbed the weapon. "What are you doing here?"

Matthew backed up a step and allowed the old man to move away from the tree.

"I'm just moving through the area," the old man said with a chipped and growly voice. "I stopped to hunt for food."

Joel lowered his gun, holding both weapons at his hip.

Matthew kept his crossbow held high. "How many of you are there?" he asked.

"Easy, _boy_ ," the old man said gruffly. "I haven't done anything to harm you."

"You didn't answer my question," Matthew retorted.

Ellie walked around another tree and joined the conversation. "Answer the fucking question," she advised. "He's asking nicely."

"It's just me," the old man answered, throwing a glance in her direction.

"I'm assuming that the boat and canoe are yours," Ellie said calmly. "Was anybody else on the boat?"

"Just me."

"Did you check it out?" Joel asked Ellie.

"It's clear," Ellie replied, not looking way from the owner of the boat.

Joel nodded at Matthew.

Matthew looked at Ellie, who nodded as well.

"Just passing through?" Matthew pressed the old man, slowly lowering his crossbow.

"We all need food to survive," the old man said, speaking to Matthew as if he were a child. "The city looked like a great place to look for supplies."

"We have supplies," Ellie said, as she moved to stand next to Joel. How about a trade?"

Joel and Matthew looked at her in surprise.

Ellie ignored them and continued. "We give you supplies. You give us a ride east along the lake."

The old man raised an eyebrow and glanced at Matthew. "You must be the brawn," he said.

The insult was evident.

Matthew didn't reply.

"She's making a generous offer," Joel said, following Ellie's lead.

"If you're going on my boat, I want your names," the old man replied.

Joel ejected the clip from the old man's gun. He left a bullet in the chamber and handed the weapon back to the old man.

"We get to your boat without any trouble, you'll get _one_ name," Joel said firmly. "But we want your name first."

The old man looked at the pistol in his hand for a moment. He placed the gun in his belt. "Damion," the old man said. He turned toward the water. "John Damion. We'll speak on the canoe."

 ** _…_**

Ellie got in the canoe first and sat on the far end.

Matthew joined her as Joel and Damion sat on the other end.

Matthew tapped his crossbow and glared at Damion. "Row," he ordered.

Ellie looked at Matthew curiously before glancing at Joel, who shrugged.

Damion grabbed the oars and began to row. "So, what are you offering?" he asked.

"How do you know we won't just kill you and take the boat?" Ellie countered.

"I'd be dead already."

"We can offer you two bottles of alcohol and two clips of nine-millimeter ammo," Joel said, opening his backpack. "You'll get your own clip back once we reach New York."

"You interrupted my hunt," the old man said, throwing a glare at Matthew. "Toss in a bit of food and it's a deal."

"Fine," Joel said, ending the conversation.

 ** _…_**

Matthew hopped onto the boat and took a look around.

The boat itself was about thirty feet long. It had a small cockpit near the front of the end. There was an open window leading into the lower deck on the side of the boat where the canoe rests. The upper deck was empty save for a few crates and boxes at the back end.

Matthew took a few steps forward and stopped when he stepped on a metal door.

The locked door blocked the stairs to the lower deck.

Matthew looked at Damion, who had just climbed onto the boat behind him. "What's down there?" he asked the old man.

"Supplies," Damion answered sharply. He walked toward the cockpit.

Matthew blocked his way and checked to make sure there were no hidden weapons. After a few seconds, he nodded his permission and allowed the old man to move past him into the cockpit.

Damion emerged with a few thick bungee straps, giving Matthew a slight shove on his way to the side of the boat.

Ellie and Joel hopped on board.

Damion looked at Joel for a moment and then jumped onto the canoe. He attached the bungee cords, tying the canoe to the ship. Afterwards, he hopped back onto the boat.

"I still want that name," Damion growled as he turned to Joel.

"Joel."

Damion nodded and motioned to the water. "Shall we?"

Damion moved back into the cockpit and started up the boat.

Ellie and Joel walked to the front of the boat and stood looking at the lake.

Matthew kept his eyes on Damion.


	71. Chapter 71

The sun set an hour later.

"So, this is a new view," Ellie said to Joel as they stared at the moonlit water at the back of the boat. "First time on a moving boat too."

Ellie stumbled back as the boat jolted in the water again.

Joel steadied her.

Ellie nodded her thanks and stood tall, balancing on the balls of her feet. After a few minutes, she started feeling nauseous.

 ** _…_**

Matthew watched as Damion emerged from the cockpit.

The old man turned and looked at Joel and Ellie again.

Matthew walked into his path. "How long until we get there?"

"We should be there late tonight," the old man answered.

"Good," Matthew said. He started to turn away.

Damion folded his arms confidently. "Scared of something, _boy_?"

Matthew didn't answer. He climbed on top of the cockpit and set his crossbow in his lap, keeping his eyes wide open.

 ** _…_**

Ellie threw up again, bending over the back side of the boat.

Joel patted her back with a smile. "I think I forgot to tell you that some people get sick on boats," he said quietly.

"I thought riding on boats was supposed to be fun…" Ellie said, wiping her chin.

"It was," Joel assured her. "Once you got used to them."

 ** _…_**

Matthew watched as Damion exited the cockpit again.

The old man stopped, once again staring at Ellie and Joel.

 ** _…_**

Joel reached inside his backpack and withdrew a rag, bringing it close to Ellie's face.

Ellie grabbed the rag. "I can clean up after myself," she grumbled, wiping vomit off her shirt.

"Alight then… you missed a spot."

Ellie glared at him and then smiled, looking out across the lake.

 ** _…_**

Matthew hopped down from the top of the cockpit.

Damion continued watching Joel and Ellie.

"Stay away from them," Matthew said sharply.

Damion turned, raised an eyebrow, and folded his arms again. "I'm sorry, did you say something, _boy_?"

"You heard what I said," Matthew replied, placing himself in front of Damion.

"It sounds to _me_ like you're giving orders on _my_ boat," Damion growled, stepping close to Matthew. "Feel free to take a swim."

"That wasn't an order!" Matthew clarified, raising his voice. "It was a threat! Stay away from them!"

 ** _…_**

Ellie and Joel turned.

Neither had ever heard Matthew speak that way.

Ellie glanced at Joel. "He really doesn't like that guy," she observed.

Joel put a hand on Ellie as she moved to intervene. "I got it," he said.

"You got it?"

"I got it," Joel promised.

 ** _…_**

Matthew didn't break eye contract with the old man.

Damion leaned against the cockpit. "Be careful who you fuck with, _boy_ ," he whispered. "This… business transaction could end messy."

Matthew took a step forward.

Joel grabbed Matthew's shoulders from behind and attempted to tug him away.

Matthew didn't move.

"Take a walk, kid," Joel said firmly.

Matthew locked eyes with Damion for a moment before turning and walking toward the other side of the boat. He stopped and looked over at the nearby shore.

 ** _…_**

Joel turned away from Damion.

"You should control your lap dog," Damion told Joel.

Joel didn't answer and walked toward Matthew as Damion returned to the cockpit and shut the door.

"What's going on?" Joel asked, standing next to Matthew.

"It's nothing," Matthew said, looking away.

"That's the first time you've ever openly lied to me," Joel said. He leaned against the side of the boat, facing Matthew. "Don't make a habit of it."

Matthew turned and glanced at Ellie, who was still gazing across the lake.

Matthew's own gaze drifted to the metal hatch leading below deck.

Joel waited patiently.

Matthew took a deep breath and looked at Joel again. "I don't trust him," he told the older man.

"I don't think anybody on this boat trusts him," Joel commented.

Matthew turned toward the cockpit. "It's more than that. I've seen him. He keeps… staring at Ellie. It's creeping me out."

Joel glanced at the cockpit before looking at Matthew again.

The young man took a deep breath and lowered his voice. "And it's not just that. I've seen him looking at you too. It's like he's… obsessed or something."

Damion exited the cockpit and looked over the side of the boat for a moment. Then he walked back into the cockpit without a word.

"I don't know," Matthew said with a shake of his head. "Maybe I'm just paranoid because I'm stuck in a small space."

"Your intuition has rarely been wrong, kid," Joel said, lowering his voice as well. "I'll have to start keeping a closer eye on him too."

Matthew nodded. He reached into his belt and handed Joel his knife.

Joel took the knife and raised an eyebrow.

"He's hiding something," Matthew said. "I'm going to figure out what it is."

"Be careful," Joel cautioned.

"When am I not?"


	72. Chapter 72

As they drew closer to Buffalo later in the night, the lake became narrow. The borders of Canada and the United States were visible on either side. In the distance, there was a large bridge connecting the two opposing land masses.

Ellie turned as Joel sat down on the crate next to her, placing Matthew's knife in his belt.

Ellie glanced in Matthew's direction. "How's he doing?" she asked.

"He's not comfortable with Damion," Joel said quietly.

"I'm not comfortable with him either," Ellie replied as Damion exited the cockpit and walked toward them. "But if this gets us to the mall and… Riley quicker, then I can deal with it."

Damion set a tin bucket down in front of Joel and Ellie and began to stuff papers and twigs inside to create a fire. After the fire was lit, Damion moved away without a word.

"You don't talk about Riley much," Joel said carefully, turning to Ellie. "Not to me anyway."

"Sorry," Ellie said. "It's nothing personal. It's just…"

Joel nodded in understanding. "It's just easier with the kid."

Damion exited the cockpit again and set down a few strips of deer meat.

Ellie saw Matthew calmly approach Damion as the old man moved back to the cockpit.

"What is Matthew doing?" Ellie asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Just talking," Joel replied.

"Matthew is being _fake_ right now," Ellie said after a moment of observing the interaction. "He's never _fake_."

Joel leaned back and grabbed his guitar. "Mm-hm."

"Joel," Ellie started sternly. " _What_ is Matthew doing?"

"He's getting to know our… business partner," Joel replied as Ellie reluctantly retrieved her own guitar.

"Should I be concerned?" Ellie asked.

Matthew hopped over the side of the boat and onto the attached canoe, his crossbow in tow.

"Not yet," Joel said, stroking his beard.

 ** _…_**

Damion watched the girl and her father play their guitars as he cooked the meat. He glanced over the side of the boat from time to time. The boy was still scraping off weeds and brush.

Damion sat down across from the boy's companions. "Dinner's served," he said calmly to the pair. "We should reach Buffalo in about half an hour."

Joel nodded his thanks and put his guitar back in its case.

"What's my friend doing?" the girl asked, putting away her own guitar.

"The boy said he wanted to do something because he's been an ass," Damion replied. "He's on the side of the boat scraping off some of the brush I picked up on the last run."

 ** _…_**

Matthew stopped when he heard Damion talking to Ellie. He glanced at the open window leading into the bottom deck. _Now's as good of a time as ever._

Matthew grabbed the top of the open window and slowly put his feet through. It was a tight fit. Moments later, Matthew hit the deck and quietly stood. The first thing he noticed was the smell. _Gasoline… And something else…_

 ** _…_**

Ellie took a bite of meat after making sure Damion did so first. "Thanks for the food," she said, attempting to sound casual. _Hurry the hell up, Matthew._

"Need a drink?" Damion asked.

"No," Joel answered for them.

"Where are you guys headed?" Damion asked.

Ellie took a water bottle out of her backpack. "Boston. What about you?"

"New York," Damion said, taking a large bite of meat. "I have business there."

Joel shifted uneasily but made no comment.

"So, what did you do before the world went to hell?" Ellie asked.

"I was a doctor," Damion said calmly. He discarded his plate and threw a glance toward the side of the boat. "A pediatrician."

"A what?" Ellie asked.

"A doctor that works with kids," Joel clarified.

"Sounds cool," Ellie said, thinking of Clarisse.

"Yeah," Damion replied, looking away. He looked at Joel. "So where are you two from?"

Ellie raised a hand. "Boston."

"Texas," Joel said.

"No shit," Damion said gruffly. "I grew up in Dallas."

"Small world," Joel grunted.

Damion grabbed another piece of meat. "You have no idea…"

Ellie tapped the crate next to her. She stopped and put her hands in her lap. _Where are you Matthew?_

"You're an awful long way from Texas," Damion observed, glancing at Joel look.

"It's been a long twenty-three years," Joel replied.

"So, how did you wind up coming north?" Ellie asked Damion.

"After the outbreak, I moved around different zones on my own," Damion explained. "I ended up here."

"Boston could have used a few good doctors," Ellie replied. "Ever been there?"

"Never got that far," Damion replied. "Basic health lost its attraction. And I wasn't going to put my ass on the line working with the Fireflies or the FEDRA."

 ** _…_**

Matthew flicked on his flashlight and looked around the cramped cargo bay.

There was a small set of stairs leading to the upper deck. On either side of him were sealed rectangular boxes of different sizes that contained unknown contents.

Matthew moved behind the stairs where there were open barrels. He sniffed. There's the _gasoline… But what the hell do I smell?_

 ** _…_**

"So, when you we're moving around the different zones," Ellie continued with her small talk. "Did you work with kids a lot?"

Damion raised an eyebrow. "You're talkative," he observed.

"I don't like silences," Ellie said defiantly.

"No," Damion answered, ignoring the attitude. "I didn't work a lot with kids after the outbreak. I couldn't. Not after… I lost my daughter the night of the outbreak."

Ellie glanced at Joel for a moment before returning her gaze to Damion. "I'm sorry," she said truthfully.

Joel touched his beard for a moment but said nothing.

Ellie watched Joel out of the corner of her eye. _Now he's acting weird… great._

"It's not your fault," Damion said quietly. "It's… someone else's."

 ** _…_**

Matthew looked in the boxes tucked under the stairs. He found a bottle of alcohol, tools, and other miscellaneous items. _Nothing._

Matthew sniffed again and turned toward the sealed boxes on the other side of the cargo hold. He lowly moved forward.

 ** _…_**

"It's been a long time since I spoke of my wife and daughter," Damion said after a minute. He locked eyes with Joel for a moment. "But, what the hell? It's been twenty-three years and we've got some time to kill."

 _"Daddy! Daddy, where are we going?"_

 _I looked at my daughter, Angel._

 _"Honey," I said, kneeling. "I know you're scared, but we have to leave."_

 _My daughter wiped her eyes and put on her white jacket and brushed off her white shorts. I brushed her raven hair out of her face, smiling gently._

 _I took my daughter's hand, grabbed my ball cap, and walked outside into the cool summer night._

 _My wife got out of the car, wearing a light purple shirt and blue pants. "It's not working, John!" she said frantically as Angel walked to her._

 _We looked down the street as someone screamed._

 _I needed to be brave._

 _I needed to be brave for them. I knew it was bad out there. Being a doctor, I'd seen the sick._

 _I looked at my wife, who now held onto Angel's hand._

 _I pulled the ball cap over my head, brushed down my white and blue flannel shirt, and straightened my blue jeans. "Let's go."_

 _We walked for over an hour. Away from danger. Away from those who were sick._

 _We walked to safety. Safety for my daughter. Safety for my wife. Safety for our family._

 _We walked alongside the road. There were no cars. Most of the people had already left the area._

 _I looked at Angel. "How are you doing?" I asked gently._

 _Angel wiped her eyes. She twitched slightly as another bug landed on her exposed skin below her shorts. She slapped the bug off her bare leg._

 _"My feet are starting to hurt," Angel said quietly._

 _I looked at my wife, who was putting on a brave face._

 _I could tell she was scared._

 _"We'll find someone. They'll have a car," I said. I hoped my family believed my words more than I did. I looked at my daughter. "They can get us to safety. We'll be safe."_

 _My wife put her hands around our daughter as we walked next to a speed limit sign._

 _"We'll get you some bug spray later," my wife said to Angel._

 _The road ahead of me became brighter. I turned to see a four-door truck coming toward me. It was slowing down._

 _I felt true hope for the first time that night._

 _The driver was looking at a bearded man in the passenger seat._

 _The bearded man was talking to the driver. He had a stern look on his face._

 _The car sped up._

 _I ran out onto the road. "Hey! Hey, stop! Stop!"_

 _The truck drove straight past us. I watched the taillights disappear along with what little hope I had left._

 _I clasped my hands behind my head. "Shit!"_

 _"Daddy?" Angel whispered._

 _I turned around._

 _Angel was looking around frantically. "Daddy, I thought you said someone would stop!"_

 _I looked at my wife._

 _My wife was frozen in place, looking in the direction of the car that was long gone. She held Angel tightly._

 _I took another deep breath, cursing myself for temporarily losing control._

 _"We'll be fine," I tried to reassure them. "Someone else will come along. Let's just keep going."_

 ** _…_**

Below deck, Matthew moved toward the crates. He turned on his flashlight and shined it over the boxes.

They were each labeled with post-it notes. _Nutrition. Weapons. Body Armor._

Matthew looked around and saw a note on a nearby barrel. He picked it up.

September 10th,

Nothing

September 11th,

THREE PROCURMENTS:

Procurement one: Nutrition

Procurement two: Weapon and Body Armor (they pay me enough, they get the source for free)

Procurement three: Smaller, but for now it can be used for nutrition

There was a note circled at the bottom of the page.

Expires quickly: Deliver by Friday

Matthew furrowed his brow and placed the paper back on the box. _What the hell is this?_ He took a deep breath and gagged.

The smell near these crates was stronger.

Much stronger.

 ** _…_**

Damion looked at Joel before continuing his tale. "They died that night…"

 _Later, we heard explosions in the distance. My wife covered Angel's ears._

 _It sounded like the explosions were coming from town. Suddenly, all was silent._

 _I looked to my wife in desperation as I spoke. "I don't know what to…" I saw the fear in my daughters, eyes. I took a deep breath. "Alright, give me a second to think."_

 _"Maybe we should go to the military," my wife said. "They'll protect us."_

 _I shook my head, still unsure of what to say. I didn't get the chance._

 _We heard an inhuman roar. Suddenly, a large group of people ran from the trees. They we're injured and staggering. I could hear their heavy breathing. They saw us and charged forward, screaming like rabid animals._

 _"Run!" I shouted._

 _We took off through the grass as the insane group of people gave chase._

 _My wife held tightly onto Angel's hand as she ran._

 _I looked around frantically for an escape route and spotted a farmhouse to our left. There was a storm cellar with an open door._

 _I looked at my wife and pointed toward safety. "There!"_

 _The rabid humans drew closer._

 _My wife ran faster._

 _Suddenly, Angel tripped._

 _My wife went down with her. She looked aback as the nearest in the rabid group charged._

 _My wife pushed Angel toward me. "Go!" she screamed as the monsters drew closer. "Take Angel! Go, please!"_

 _I grabbed Angels arm and dragged her to her feet and turned to my wife._

 _Suddenly, three of those things were on her._

 _I saw one sink its teeth in into her neck and screamed as my went lay still._

 _The insane mob continued to tear into her._

 _Another rabid human dove toward Angel, its teeth glinting slightly in the moonlight._

 _I tugged Angel away, scooping her into my arms._

 _Angel looked over my shoulder as I started to run and screamed loudly. "Mom!"_

 _I felt tears fall down my face as we reached the storm cellar doors. I turned and saw a few of the monsters charging toward me. I let go of my daughter as we reached the stairs and pulled the storm cellar door shut behind us, locking it._

 _The door began to shake as the monsters banged against it. But in the end, held._

 _I don't know how long I stood there._

 _The banging finally stopped._

 _I let out a breath. "Okay," I said lightly, despite the pain in my chest and the grief I felt. "We're fine."_

 _There was little light in the cellar._

 _I could barely see Angel through the moonlit cracks on along the rims of the door._

 _My daughter stood with a blank look on her face._

 _I took a hold of Angel's face. "Hey," I said gently. "We're safe."_

 _Angel slowly looked at me. "My leg hurts," she whispered._

 _I looked down and saw a thin line of blood sliding down her leg. I felt as if I was going to throw up._

 _The source of the blood came from a small puncture wound just below Angel's right knee._

 _I knew she was infected. I knew that they had bitten her._

 _My daughter must have noticed my change in mood. Her eyes teared up in fear._

 _I shook my head. I had to stay calm. I had to stay calm for her. My wife was dead. I had to stay calm for Angel._

 _I examined the bite in the faint light._

 _"It doesn't look bad," I told my daughter. It was true. The bite didn't look deep. I sat her on the ground and ripped off a piece of my sleeve, tying it around the wound. "It'll be fine. I'll take another look in the morning."_

 _"I want mom," Angel whispered._

 _"We can't…" I grabbed Angel and hugged her to my chest. "We can't see her tonight. We can't."_

 _I felt my emotions getting the better of me. I ran a hand down my face and wiped the tears away._

 _I looked back at Angel and laid her down. "You should sleep," I said quietly. "I promise… I promise it'll be better in the morning."_

 _After an hour, Angel finally cried herself to sleep._

 _I closed my eyes and sobbed silently, knowing that nothing was going to be okay._

 ** _…_**

Underneath the feet of his companions, Matthew shoved open one of the large crates. He immediately collapsed to the floor, vomiting from both the new sight and the now intolerable smell of decomposing flesh.

Matthew scurried away, breathing hard and coughing. He stared at the crate he had just opened. Beside it, another smaller crate that was no bigger than five feet long was also labeled.

Nutrition

It had a second label below it.

Expires in two days

Matthew's eyes narrowed in anger. _He's killing and trading…_

Matthew stood, walked over to one of the barrels behind the stairs, and tipped it over, spilling gasoline all over the deck.

 ** _…_**

Ellie was silent for a moment as she looked over.

Joel was still staring at Damion, a look of confusion on his face.

Ellie raised an eyebrow at Joel. _What's with you?_

"And that was that," Damion finished calmly.

Ellie looked up as a shadow crossed over the boat. They had reached the bridge. The shores on either side of the lake could be seen clearly and in detail. Ellie sighed nervously. _Almost there. Matthew, where the fuck are you?_

Ellie looked at Damion, who seemed lost in old memories.

"I'm sorry about your wife and daughter," Ellie said honestly.

"Can't do anything about it," Damion said with a shrug, throwing Joel another strange look. "I survived. I shouldn't have. But I did. I can't even tell you how I've stayed alive this long."

Ellie leaned forward. "You do what we've all done," she, turning to look into Joel's eyes.

Joel looked away from Damion.

Ellie fidgeted with her cloth covered arm for a moment before returning her gaze to Damion. "You keep finding something to fight for."

Damion grunted and looked down. Suddenly, he started to laugh. He shook his head and laughed louder, rubbing his face.

Ellie shifted uncomfortably as Joel's hand drifted toward the gun in his belt.

Damion laughed through his next words. "You know what the worst part about this is? The worst part about it, is that the man whose fault it is, the man who was in the truck…" Damion stopped laughing and looked Joel in the eye. "…doesn't even _fucking_ recognize me."


	73. Chapter 73

Joel pulled out his pistol and pointed it at Damion. "Ellie, we're leaving. Grab your stuff."

"Joel, what's going on?" Ellie asked, standing up.

Joel reached down, threw Ellie her backpack, and shoved her guitar case toward her with his foot. "Now," he said firmly.

Ellie pulled on her backpack and picked up the guitar, keeping her eyes on Damion, who hadn't moved.

"Joel, you're making me nervous," Ellie said cautiously. "What is going on?"

"Ellie, I promise I'll tell you once we're safe. But right now, we need to go."

"What about Matthew?"

The metal door on the deck flew open.

Matthew ran up the stairs, leveling his loaded crossbow at Damion.

"Joel's right. It's time to go," Matthew said. He took a step closer to Damion. "On the ground."

Damion didn't move. Matthew grabbed the old man's shoulder and yanked down hard. Damion fell to his knees as the old fabric on his shoulder ripped.

A bite on Damion's shoulder was revealed.

Matthew hesitated slightly as he saw the bite reflected in the dimming firelight. _Faded. Just like…_

 ** _…_**

Damion's gaze drifted toward from the boy, to the old man, and finally to the girl across from him.

The girl's father had tightened the grip on his weapon.

The girl however, showed three emotions. _Fear, Surprise, and… curiosity._

"Well, how about that," Damion said, smiling slightly. "I guess I'm not the only one who's immune."

The girl's eyes narrowed.

 ** _…_**

Matthew walked around to Damion's other side, keeping his crossbow leveled.

Damion turned his attention to Matthew. "Where were you, _boy_?"

"Exactly how many people have you killed for your smuggling business?" Matthew spat.

"As many as it takes to survive," Damion replied calmly and with no remorse. "But you can let your imagination wander."

"They were labeled nutrition," Matthew growled, nostrils flaring. He touched the arrow to Damion's neck. "Some of those boxes were pretty small."

Nobody on the boat needed further translation.

"You son of a bitch!" Ellie snapped at Damion, her fists clenched.

Joel grabbed Ellie's shoulder to keep her from moving forward.

"You've never killed to survive?" Damion asked. "Bullshit. You're alive. So you know what it takes."

Ellie tried to move forward again. "I am nothing like you, you sick motherfucker!"

"Ellie, get off the boat," Joel ordered.

Matthew glanced at Joel, keeping his crossbow leveled inches away from Damion's face.

Ellie clenched her fist again.

"I'll keep you covered," Matthew assured Joel. "Get to shore. And leave me a Molotov."

Joel gave him a confused look but reached into his backpack and placed a Molotov on the ground.

Ellie looked between them. "But—"

"Ellie," Matthew interrupted, looking at her for a moment. "Go."

Ellie and Joel turned away.

Damion made his move.

The old man swiped the crossbow aside. Matthew pulled the trigger, sending the arrow whistling past Damion's face, cutting his right cheek. Damion seemingly ignored the pain and grabbed Matthew, throwing him out of the way.

Matthew quickly turned as his crossbow fell to the deck.

Damion reached for the gun still tucked inside his belt. It began to rise in Ellie's direction.

Matthew lunged forward, grabbing Damion's arm and pinning the gun to the old man's side.

Matthew placed an arm around the old man's neck. "Raise that gun and I'll snap your neck," Matthew whispered fiercely. He looked at Ellie. "Go."

Joel grabbed Ellie and drew her toward the back of the boat. "Let's move," he said.

"Why listen to a murderer?" Damion asked Ellie. Matthew tightened his grip, forcing Damion to choke out his next words. The old man pointed at Joel. "You're no better than him."

Ellie glared at Damion one last time. "He's nothing like you either," she said through gritted teeth.

Ellie jumped in the water.

Joel exchanged a nod with Matthew and jumped over the side of the boat, leaving behind the Molotov as well as his guitar.

The boat had long since passed under the bridge.

Matthew held Damion in place.

Damion broke the silence. "I don't think you could kill me, kid."

Matthew tightened his grip. "Are you sure about that?" he asked.

"I'd be dead already," Damion growled.

With a grunt, the old man propelled himself backwards, slamming Matthew into the door of the cockpit. He elbowed Matthew in the face and turned, raising the gun again. Matthew blocked Damion's arm aside as the gun went off.

 ** _…_**

Ellie heard the gunshot and stopped swimming. She turned around in the water. "Matthew… Joel!"

"He'll be fine!" Joel promised, pushing her on. "Get moving!"

"Fuck!" Ellie shouted in frustration. She turned toward the shore.

 ** _…_**

Damion kneed Matthew in the gut and threw him to the deck.

Matthew dove for his crossbow. Damion got there first and tugged out of his grasp, throwing the weapon overboard. He grabbed Matthew again and threw him toward the back of the boat and over the metal hatch.

Matthew collided with the tin, fire bucket, knocking it over and sending sparks flying in all directions. Damion charged forward. Matthew quickly grabbed the Molotov and lit it on the dying flames bucket.

Damion froze.

Matthew rose to his feet and took a step closer.

Damion also took a small step forward. "If you can't snap a helpless man's neck," he said quietly. "I know you won't burn him alive."

 ** _…_**

Ellie turned as she got to the shore. She climbed onto the small dock and turned in time to see Matthew throw down the Molotov.

"What the fuck is he doing?" Ellie exclaimed.

"Stay here, Ellie," Joel said firmly. He threw aside his backpack and jumped into the water, making his way back to the boat.

 ** _…_**

Matthew didn't break eye contact with Damion as smoke rose from the lower deck.

The fire leapt onto the stairs, igniting the gasoline that Matthew had poured on them. The flames rose further, growing large enough that the two foes could see the firelight reflected in each other's eyes.

"Find yourself another line of work," Matthew spat. He grabbed Joel's guitar and threw it overboard.

"This isn't over, _boy_. Not for _her_ ," Damion said calmly. His eyes narrowed and his voice became a whisper. "And definitely not for _him_."

Matthew hesitated.

There was a large burst of light as the fire below reached another barrel of gasoline, sending large flames into the air and igniting the upper deck.

Matthew turned and jumped into the water.

 ** _…_**

Ellie saw the large fire rising and two figures hit the water on either side of the boat. "Fuck this," she grunted, throwing aside her backpack and diving back into the water.

 ** _…_**

Joel heard two splashes. He swam toward the right side of the boat as one figure reached for Matthew's floating crossbow.

Joel grabbed the weapon as well.

The figure turned to glare at Joel. "You!"

Before Damion could say another word, Joel repeatedly punched him as hard as he could in the face. Damion released the crossbow. As Joel attempted to retreat with the weapon, Damion grabbed his leg. Joel turned himself around in the water and started kicking.

After a hard boot to the face, Damion released him, floating motionless in the water.

Joel moved around to the back of the boat.

 ** _…_**

Matthew kept the guitar case afloat as best he could. He felt a pressure on his shoulder and turned to see Ellie.

Matthew grabbed her shoulder and turned her toward shore. "I thought I told you to get going!" he said angrily.

"That's nice!" Ellie shouted. "I'm just glad you're okay."

"Where's Joel?" Matthew asked.

"I'm here," Joel said. He swam beside them. "I'm fine. Let's go."

They climbed onto the docks a minute later. When they looked behind them, the boat was still floating, engulfed in flame.

Damion's body floated in the water.

Joel handed Matthew his crossbow.

Matthew held his arm back only slightly, keeping Joel's guitar out of reach.

Joel made no attempt to retrieve the guitar by force.

"You said that you were a smuggler," Matthew growled. He held a guarded expression. "Ever do anything like that?"

"No," Joel said firmly, remaining still. "No, I smuggled a lot of shit. Guns. Pills. But never bodies."

"Matthew," Ellie said in calm warning.

"I never dealt in death," Joel assured the young man, grabbing Matthew's knife from his belt and holding it out.

Matthew took a deep breath, grabbed the knife, and handed Joel the guitar.


	74. Chapter 74

Ellie looked at Joel, waiting for the answers she was promised. "Matthew, give us a moment."

"It's fine," Joel said holding up a hand, "He can stay, but we should get moving."

"Where?" Ellie asked.

Joel looked around and pointed at a motel overlooking the lake. "We don't know who or what saw that boat. Let's make our way around the lake and hold up there for the night," he suggested. "We'll see what we can do tomorrow. Sound good?"

Ellie nodded.

Joel and Ellie started to walk.

Matthew was already moving ahead.

Ellie glanced at the boat before looking at Joel. "Was what he said true? Did you…" Ellie's voice trailed off.

"What he said was true," Joel confirmed. He took a deep breath, slowing his pace slightly. "It was the night of the outbreak. We we're trying to get out of town. We came across a family. Tommy tried to stop. I wouldn't let him."

Ellie looked down and didn't speak for a moment. "Sarah was in the car, wasn't she?"

"Yes. Yes, she was," Joel whispered.

They continued to walk at a slower pace.

Joel shook his head. "She um… I didn't remember until now, but… Sarah said that we had room. She said we should have helped them. She was right. We had plenty of room. I was just…"

"You were just scared. I get it," Ellie said. There was no trace of bitterness or anger in her voice. "I would've done the same thing."

Ellie walked on without a word and joined Matthew.

Joel stared after her curiously.

 ** _…_**

The door to the motel room banged open.

Matthew walked in with his crossbow drawn.

The room wasn't large. It had two beds to the right. On the left was a long cabinet with multiple drawers and a broken television set. Between the two king-sized beds, there was a door leading to a balcony overlooking the lake. At the far end of the room was a small, dusty kitchen. There was also bathroom on the right side of the kitchen.

The trio spent a couple minutes looking through the drawers for supplies.

Ellie shut the last drawer. "Nothing useful."

"I didn't expect much," Joel admitted. "Let's just get some rest."

Ellie hopped onto the bed and looked around. "Doesn't feel like anything's crawling around on here," she grumbled. "What do you think, Matthew?"

Matthew walked out onto the balcony and shut the sliding door without a word.

Joel sat down on the other bed. "Think he's alright?" he asked Ellie.

"He hasn't said anything to me. I mean he's usually quiet, just not this quiet," Ellie whispered. She looked at Joel. "I hate it when he doesn't talk to me. Riley used to do the same thing sometimes."

Joel glanced behind him.

Matthew was attempting to wipe the water off his crossbow with his wet sleeve.

Joel stood and looked through one of the drawers.

"What are you doing?" Ellie asked.

"I don't know," Joel said. "Just… try to get warm. You're shivering."

Ellie reached down and pulled the blankets around her.

Joel found what he was looking for and opened the balcony door. "Kid."

"I'm fine," Matthew said without looking at him.

"You're trying to dry a wet weapon with wet clothing," Joel observed.

Matthew looked at his sleeve and stopped scrubbing.

Joel took a step forward. "C'mon. Let's go downstairs for a bit."

Joel led Matthew downstairs and out the door, tossing the young man a baseball glove.

Matthew immediately put it on.

Joel put on his own glove. He tossed a small baseball up and down in his hand. After a few seconds, he intentionally threw the ball high.

Matthew reached up and caught the ball with no effort.

"I figured you'd done this before," Joel said.

"How's that?" Matthew asked, throwing the ball back.

"You were eyeing the baseball when we we're searching the place," Joel replied.

Matthew looked at the lake.

The silhouette of the boat still floated in the distance, but the fire had died down.

Matthew threw the ball back to Joel. It seemed harder than intended.

"Nice throw," Joel said. "So what's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"What is with teenagers and 'nothing'?" Joel asked as he threw the ball again. "That always means _something's_ wrong."

Matthew shook his head and threw the ball without a word.

Joel caught it and began tossing the ball between his glove and his uncovered hand. "Look, if it's about what you saw on the boat—"

"It wasn't what I saw!" Matthew snapped. He took a deep breath and seemingly made an effort to calm his voice. "I've seen shit like that before… well, I guess not. But it's not about what I saw."

"Well, what is it?" Joel said, tossing the ball to Matthew again.

Matthew caught the ball and stared at it. "I wanted to hurt him."

"Anybody would," Joel said. "Hell, had I seen… what I mean is that I probably would have wanted to kill him too."

"I didn't say I wanted to _kill_ him," Matthew said quietly. "I said I wanted to _hur_ t him."

Matthew threw the ball hard.

Joel took a step back to catch the ball.

They threw back and forth a few times before Matthew spoke again. "He was using bodies, people, c _hildren_ to buy his own survival. He was using _kids_ and I wanted to _hurt_ him."

Joel didn't speak as he received another hard throw and tossed the ball back with little force.

Matthew continued. "I wanted him to pay. I wanted him to live knowing that _I_ was the one who _destroyed_ his means of survival. Part of it had nothing to do with what I saw," the young man finished bitterly. He threw the ball again and caught it when it was returned before shaking his head. "What does that make me?"

"Human," Joel said simply. "Just like the rest of us."

Matthew thought for a moment and nodded, throwing the ball again.

 ** _…_**

Ellie turned over again. _What are they doing?_ She got up, looked out the balcony, and saw

Matthew and Joel throwing the baseball back and forth.

Ellie smiled laid back down on the bed.

 ** _…_**

Matthew threw the ball again.

Joel caught it with ease. "You may have saved our asses back there," he said.

Matthew looked down for a moment and almost missed the incoming ball. "Yeah… well, that's something else that was bothering me," he said with a sigh.

"What's that?" Joel asked.

Matthew glanced at the lake.

Clouds covered the sky, leaving the lake in darkness.

Matthew threw the ball. "That guy was pissed at you because you didn't save his family, right?"

"What's your point?" Joel asked, tossing the ball up and down in his glove again.

Matthew glanced at the balcony above them for a moment. "He wasn't pointing the gun at _you_ ," he said quietly.

Joel looked at the balcony as well. "Well, it's over now," he said after a moment.

"Thank God for that."

"So, who used to play baseball with you," Joel asked, changing the subject as he threw the ball again.

"My dad. We didn't have a lot of stuff in our house," Matthew replied. He shrugged and threw the ball again. "Plus, I think he got sick of his six-year-old beating him at chess."

"I know the feeling."

Lightning lit the sky, followed by the loud rumbling of thunder as it began to rain hard again.

Matthew and Joel threw the ball back and forth one last time before they started walking toward the apartment.

 ** _…_**

Ellie opened her eyes and sat up as Matthew and Joel walked back into the room.

Joel walked around the beds, stepped out onto the balcony, and closed the door. He began watching the storm.

Matthew sat down on the floor next to Ellie's bed.

Ellie made eye contact with him and then looked away with an audible humph.

Matthew reached up and poked her in the side. "What, you're not talking to me now?" he grumbled.

"I don't know," Ellie said in amusement. "Are you going talk to me?"

"That's how it's going to be?" Matthew asked. "Whatever."

They both were silent for a moment before exchanging small smiles.

Matthew shivered again and rubbed his hands together.

"Cold?" Ellie asked.

"I was mostly dry until the monsoon out there hit," Matthew said.

Ellie moved over to one side of the bed. "You can use the blankets," she said. "They're pretty warm once you stop thinking about what could be in them."

Matthew looked over her shoulder at Joel, who was still watching the storm.

"Your choice I guess…" Ellie said with a smile. "Wuss."

Matthew rubbed his hands together a few more times. Eventually, he sighed and stood.

Ellie moved over a little more.

Matthew sat back, laid his head on one of the pillows, and attempted to make himself comfortable. "This feels weird," he said in response to the softness of the bed.

"I had the same thoughts about the bed in Jackson," Ellie replied. She laid down facing Matthew.

"I don't think I've been in a bed since I was a kid," Matthew commented.

Ellie punched her pillow a few times. "How do people do this? I mean, it's too soft."

"Who knows," Matthew said. He turned and faced the other direction. "Goodnight, Ellie."

"Don't let those bed bugs bite," Ellie replied. She pinched the back of Matthew's neck.

"Very funny," Matthew responded.

Ellie reached over and put a hand on Matthew's blanket covered shoulder. "Goodnight, Matthew," she said softly.

Matthew reached around with his right arm and grasped the hand. Minutes later, he was asleep.

Ellie let his hand slip away. She turned the other direction and closed her eyes as Joel emerged from the balcony. She heard him stop as he closed the door.

Ellie knew he was watching. A few seconds later, she heard Joel turn away and lay on the other bed.

Ellie opened her eyes a few minutes later.

Joel was asleep.

Ellie awoke twice that night. Each dream followed one of two paths she may have to take after their time in Boston was over.

Ellie knew in her heart that she may have to choose soon. _Just like them._


	75. Chapter 75

Ellie slept for a few more hours until the sun started to rise before she opened her eyes and quietly rose to her feet.

Ellie looked around and saw that Joel and Matthew were still asleep. She yawned, walked out onto the balcony overlooking the lake, and leaned against the railing.

A few minutes later, the door opened again and Joel stepped out, softly closing it behind him.

"Morning," Joel said.

Ellie nodded and looked at the lake again. "You and Sarah ever stay in a place like this?" she asked as Joel leaned on the railing as well.

"Not Sarah. I stayed at places like this every now and again while on a job," Joel explained. "But they weren't exactly luxurious."

"There were no rats last night," Ellie said with a shrug. "That's nice."

"Yeah, I suppose," Joel said awkwardly.

Ellie laughed. "Joel, you have a worse poker face than Riley did," she said, folding her arms. "What do you want to ask me?"

Joel stroked his watch for a moment.

Ellie waited patiently.

Joel finally looked at her. "Last night when we were talking about the night of the outbreak—"

Ellie let out a breath of relief.

Joel raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"I thought this conversation was going in a different direction," Ellie said as she felt her face growing warm. She unfolded her arms. "Sorry. Keep going."

"Last night when we were talking about why I didn't stop the truck for Damion," Joel continued, shuddering slightly. "And I told you Sarah was in the truck, you said… you said that you would have done the same thing. What did you mean by that?"

"I mean what I said," Ellie assured him, noting the concern in his voice. "I would have done the same thing you did."

"If you thought that way a year ago…" Joel's voice trailed off and he looked toward the lake again. "Sorry. Never mind."

They stood in silence for a few minutes before Ellie answered the unspoken question. "Last Spring, when Matthew and I were moving through New Mexico, we took cover in a barn for the night. We met these two kids."

"Tim and Clarisse."

Ellie smiled and nodded. "I don't know how to explain it, but… I mean, I only spent one night with them," she stammered.

Joel looked at Ellie.

Ellie sighed and grabbed the railing again, facing Joel. "It scared the hell out of me that… that little girl was in this world without parents. With only her brother and no safe place to live. I barely even knew her, but I… I would have done anything to keep her safe."

"You gave them everything you could, kiddo," Joel said softly.

"I know. I guess…" Ellie turned toward the lake again and took a deep breath. "I guess this is kind of what it was like for you in Salt Lake City."

Joel put a hand on her shoulder as a large group of birds flew south over the lake.

Ellie made no attempt to shy away from the touch.

"It's like that every day," Joel said quietly. It was his turn to take a deep breath. "Ellie, is there any chance that you could ever forgive me for hurting you like I did."

Ellie looked at her bite. "I… I don't know. It is… It was all I had," she said quietly.

Joel nodded.

Ellie looked at him again, remaining quiet and calm as she spoke. "I had a purpose. I was, well, special."

"I know," Joel said, looking down.

Ellie put a hand on Joel's arm.

Joel looked up.

Ellie hesitated before speaking. "I know you will never apologize for saving my life," she admitted. "And I don't know if I can forgive you, but… maybe I could come to understand why you did it."

"So you were listening that night when you and Matthew got the truck." Joel said.

Ellie heard a small amount of hope enter his voice. She nodded.

Joel glanced back into the motel room. "I've got something for you. I'll be right back."

A minute later, Joel returned. He was holding a necklace.

The necklace was made of black string. On the string, it had brown and white beads. A cross dangled from the center of the beads.

Joel offered the necklace to Ellie.

Ellie looked at it. "Where'd you get that?"

"It was Sarah's," Joel said.

"I never thought of your family as religious," Ellie said, her eyes lingering on the cross.

Joel chuckled slightly. "That's exactly what I thought when Sarah made it. Anyway, Tommy kept it after…" Joel left the sentence unfinished. "Tommy gave it to me when I left Jackson. I want you to have it."

Ellie reflexively reached for the necklace, then lowered her hand. She shook her head. "You should keep it, Joel."

"Sarah would want someone to wear it," Joel insisted. "She never once wanted something she wouldn't use."

Ellie hesitated for a moment, then took the necklace. She held it delicately in her hand. After a moment, she gently closed her fist around the necklace.

"I'll keep it safe," Ellie said, intending to place the necklace in the third zipper of her backpack. "We should wake up Matthew and get going."

 ** _…_**

Matthew led the way out of the hotel.

Joel and Ellie trailed behind.

Matthew glanced back as Joel put a hand on Ellie's shoulder.

Ellie shrugged it off dramatically.

Matthew turned his gaze forward. _I can't be the one to separate them._


	76. Chapter 76

John Damion awoke.

The old man attempted to stand and momentarily panicked when he realized that he was in deep water. He forced himself to stay still. When he looked up, Damion saw the support of a small bridge looming over him.

In a flash, the memories of the previous night came back to him.

Damion spotted his boat floating a short distance away. His eyes narrowed.

Damion swam to the boat and hauled himself onto the deck. He instantly knew the boat was a complete loss. The fire had burnt away most of his supplies and the cockpit was ruined.

Damion kicked the door to the cockpit in anger. "That smug little son of a bitch!"

Damion ran a hand down his face. There was a deep cut on his right cheek. Damion looked down at his feet and saw a broken arrow. He kicked it aside and walked into the cockpit, reaching for a box on one of the shelves.

Damion grabbed out a metal case and opened it, revealing a suture kit. He started to stitch up the wound on his cheek, losing himself in old memories.

 _I awoke to Angel moving around next to me. I closed my eyes again and hoped for the faintest second that the previous night had been a dream._

 _All that came to an end when I saw the storm cellar door. A few faint rays of moonlight penetrated the cracks in the door._

 _My wife is dead._

 _Those monsters killed her._

 _Then I remembered._

 _One of those monsters bit my daughter._

 _I looked at Angel's leg._

 _It looked worse. The skin around the wound had become dark red and inflamed._

 _Angel stirred again, making a strange noise. She twitched slightly._

 _I put my hand on her shoulder and she froze._

 _I took a deep, ragged breath._

 _Angel stirred again._

 _I reached out and turned my daughter, pulling her into a tight hug. I thought for an instant that I saw a tint of red in her eyes. I ignored it. I wasn't allowed to be scared._

 _Suddenly, there was pain in my right shoulder._

 _I looked over as Angel sunk her teeth into my shoulder again._

 _I screamed in pain._

 _Angel let out a horrible inhuman screech. She lunged for my neck with a rabid strength she'd never had._

 _I attempted to push her off, applying as much weight as I could to her chest._

 _Angel swung her arms wildly at me. One of her fists collided with my face._

 _I closed my eyes._

 _"Angel!" I shouted. "Stop! Please, stop!"_

 _At the sound of my voice, Angel redoubled her efforts. I heard her teeth gnash loudly inches away from my face._

 _Suddenly, Angel ceased her attack._

 _I opened my eyes._

 _My hands were wrapped around her neck._

 _Angel was grasping at them and attempting to bite down on my hand._

 _I tightened my grip. Tears fell down my face as I sat up and began pushing her slowly down onto her back._

 _"I'm so sorry," I whispered. I let out a sob and tightened my grip until I felt my fingertips on either hand touching. "I…"_

 _Angel let out a final gagging breath and lay still._

 _I don't know how long I stayed there, crouched over her body with my hands wrapped around her neck. I didn't notice the sun rising outside or the soft rays of light that came through the storm cellar door._

 _I barely heard voices outside._

 _"Most of these people are gone after last night. We'll take what we can and move on to the next house."_

 _"We're going be so rich after this," a second voice said._

 _"What, you think this is temporary?" the first voice asked._

 _"Yeah, they'll find a cure in a few months and shit'll get back to normal."_

 _"Yeah, as long as we avoid the crazy ones," the other man said with a small laugh._

 _"Just open the cellar door."_

 _I barely noticed when the storm cellar doors opened. I barely felt the hot summer sun beating down on my back._

 _I heard two pairs of feet coming down the steps._

 _I didn't move._

 _What was the point?_

 _I knew I'd be dead soon anyway._

 _My daughter had bitten me._

 _What was the point?_

 _I kept my gaze low, staring at my daughter's lifeless face._

 _Behind me, the footsteps stopped._

 _"What the hell is this?"_

 _One of the two men took a few steps around me. The man gasped and accidently touched Angel with his boot._

 _I let out anger that I wasn't aware I had._

 _Not just anger. A rabid hunger for death._

 _Anyone's death._

 _I screamed loudly, letting go of my daughter and slamming into the man. The man banged into the shelf behind him._

 _A hammer fell to the ground._

 _"Oh, shit!" the second man exclaimed._

 _The second man grabbed me from behind, tugging me away. I swung wildly with my entire body. My head collided with the man's nose, cracking it open. The man who I had thrown into the shelf tried to rise._

 _I lunged toward him, unleashing all the anger and grief that I had left. I tackled him to the floor and felt the ground around me, finally grasping the hammer. I raised it high and brought it down hard._

 _The man ceased his struggle._

 _The second man grabbed me from behind again and tugged the hammer away. I turned and grabbed the man's face. My fingers found his eyes. I applied as much pressure and weight as I could._

 _Seconds later, the storm cellar was silent._

 _I looked at my daughter._

 _No! That thing was not my daughter. My daughter died last night with her mother._

 _I couldn't bear to look at the monster any longer._

 _I made my way up the stairs and into the sunlight. I looked down at my hands and found that they were covered in crimson blood._

 _I suddenly realized that my shoulder was in no more pain than it had been since the monster had bitten me. I ripped the cloth covering my shoulder._

 _The wound was still red from the bite that had occurred hours before but showed no signs that it was inflamed or infected._

 _I knew instantly that I wasn't going to turn into one of those things._

 _I laughed. I just shook my head and laughed, running a hand down my face._

 _I continued to laugh._

Damion threw the now useless medical kit aside, his stitches complete. He walked to one of the crates still on the deck and grabbed out a charred, white shirt, using it to cover his bite.

 _Where to now?_ Damion remembered the conversation he had overheard between the girl and the old man. _Boston._ _The mall._

Damion rose and looked over the water, toward Buffalo. He knew there were many Hunters in the area. The trouble was that he didn't know where. "Marek."

Damion made is way to Elmwood village and Colonial Circle in Buffalo. Ahead, he saw three figures.

Two were tall, wore ragged clothing, and held large wooden planks. A man of average height and build stood between them. The man wore significantly cleaner clothes. He had a revolver strapped to his side.

Damion moved forward.

The man in the middle, Marek, looked up. "Look who finally decided to show."

Marek took a step forward, his goons following close behind.

Damion stopped a few feet away from the man. "I've had a long fucking night, Marek," he growled.

"Me too," Marek said dramatically. "Hell, we wasted some gas just driving out to the drop-off point! Where were you?"

Damion glanced at the truck parked on the edge of the roundabout behind him, then at the two men behind Marek.

"Where are the rest of your guys?" Damion asked.

"They're at the church!" Marek said, pointing to the east. "Waiting for you!"

Damion raised an eyebrow and glanced around the empty park. "You don't want to hang out with the commoners, huh?" he spat, motioning to the two large men behind Marek. "Only the dumb ones."

The two men behind Marek tightened their grips on their weapons.

Marek laughed. "There have been some idiots who've wanted to leave," he admitted, withdrawing the keys to the truck from his pocket and tossing them up and down. "But we can't afford to lose the manpower."

"I want your map, Marek," Damion said, dropping the charade.

Marek raised an eyebrow.

Damion took a small step forward. "Your fucking map! The one that marks every location of the Hunters and Infected from here to Boston. And I'm getting it now!"

Marek turned and waved off the two men behind him.

They took a step back, looking at Damion uneasily.

"You don't show up for the drop-off that you owe me," Marek said, taking a confident step forward. "And then you come here demanding that I give you my shit? You must be fucking stupid!"

Damion didn't reply. He flicked his eyes to the two men behind Marek.

Marek stepped close to Damion, raising his voice. "You owe me a shipment!" he spat, poking Damion in the chest with a finger as the two goons moved forward as well. "And until then, we have nothing to—"

Damion grabbed Marek's arm and quickly turned him around, seizing the revolver on the man's side. Damion quickly shot one of the goons who stepped forward in the head and put a bullet through the knee of the second.

Damion threw Marek aside, strode over to the wounded man, and shot him in the head as he tried to swing his wooden plank. The man fell to the ground and didn't rise again. Damion swung around as Marek tried to make a run for the truck. Damion raised the gun and shot, shattering Marek's right ankle.

Marek fell face-first to the ground a few feet from the truck.

Damion walked forward and kicked Marek in the side, rolling him over. "I want the map," the old man growled. "The map, Marek."

"It's at the church!" Marek said desperately, holding up a hand as if it would shield him from further harm. "I don't have it with me!"

Damion rolled his eyes, grabbed Marek's outstretched hand, and twisted sharply.

There was a loud pop.

Marek screamed in pain again as he pulled his arm away.

Damion raised the gun. "You're a damn coward," he whispered. "I know you wouldn't let anyone else have the map. It's how you keep your men under control."

Damion placed the gun against Marek's head.

Marek held up his other hand. "Okay! Shit, okay!" he shouted looking down. "It's— it's in my back pocket!"

Damion rolled him over and reached inside his pocket, extracting a large map.

Marek rolled over again.

Damion took a step back and examined the map. "What route do you use with the truck?" he demanded.

Marek shouted through his whimpering. "We never take the truck that way! There are too many Hunters. They're not part of our gang. We'd be swarmed!"

Damion knew Marek was telling the truth. "In that case…" Damion kicked Marek in the face before walking around the car. He opened the hood and emptied another chamber in the revolver, immobilizing the car. "You won't be needing this anymore. Our business arrangement is over."

As Marek tried to rise, Damion raised his foot and stomped down on Marek's bleeding ankle. Marek screamed again. Damion crouched low and grabbed a marker out of Marek's jacket pocket.

"You're going to mark all your men's placements on the map," Damion continued.

"I can't!" Marek said, shaking his head frantically. "We lost that ground to another group!"

Damion picked Marek up and threw him against the truck.

Marek fell to the ground again.

"You're a bad liar," Damion spat. "You see, I've talked to your men. Every drop that I make, they're bragging about 'new ground'. And I'd hate to get a mile and be… swarmed. So I suggest you give me the information I want."

Marek shook his head again.

Damion looked at him for a moment, then hauled the man up.

Marek continued whimpering.

Damion reached into the back of the truck behind Marek and grabbed a full gas can that had a spout attached to the end. Damion shoved the spout into Marek's mouth and tipped it forward.

Marek gagged and attempted to spit out the gas. After a few seconds, Damion let up and took a step back before ramming the revolver into the man's gut.

Marek gasped for air, and accidently swallowed gasoline as he fell to the ground. He coughed again.

Damion poured the gas over Marek's head.

Marek squirmed on the ground.

"I can do this all day," Damion said calmly as he kicked Marek in the side again. "You swallow enough of this, and you'll die. So, what is your choice?"

Damion threw the map and the pen in front of Marek. After a moment,

Marek crawled forward and started to mark the map.

Damion waited patiently.

Marek finished and offered the paper back with a shaking hand.

"Did you miss any?" Damion asked, raising the gas can.

"No! No, I swear!"

Damion uncapped the spout and poured the rest of the gas over Marek's body.

"I believe you," Damion growled. He threw the empty can to the ground and looked at the revolver still in his hand. "One round left. This is practically useless."

Damion threw the weapon across the street. "Goodbye, Marek."

Damion gave Marek's ankle another kick and walked away in quick strides, folding up the map and placing it in his back pocket.

Damion looked back as Marek rose as quickly as he could and half ran, half staggered across the street toward the gun. He retrieved the weapon and aimed it at Damion.

Damion stepped quickly around a tree as Marek pulled the trigger.

The moment that the gun discharged, the gas vapors around Marek's body ignited. His entire upper body was engulfed in flames. Marek howled in pain as the fire burned away his flesh, inside and out.

"Predictable," Damion grunted. He walked away, completely ignoring Marek's dying screams.


	77. Chapter 77

Fall:

October

Matthew shivered slightly.

The young man was still dressed in the same clothes that he'd found before reaching Texas. He was taking shelter for the night in a parking ramp in Springfield, New York.

Matthew opened his eyes as he heard clattering from the street below. He sat up and looked over the edge of the parking ramp. Down the street were two figures. One was tall. The other one was shorter. Both wore black t-shirts and jeans. They moved quickly.

Matthew grabbed his crossbow, walked down to the ground level, and stood just inside the entrance to the parking ramp.

The two figures came closer.

Matthew glanced around the corner and quickly moved back. He stuck out his leg as the taller man ran past him. The man tripped on the leg tumbled to the ground. Matthew turned the corner and quickly grabbed the shorter man.

"Let go of me!" a young voice shouted.

Matthew loosened his grip only slightly. The shorter man was actually a teenager. He looked to be a few years younger than Matthew and had sandy hair.

The taller man rose and pulled out a pistol, pointing it at Matthew. Matthew looked at the boy in his grip and then at the taller man. The tall man, whom Matthew now assumed to be the boy's father, also had sandy hair.

As the father stepped into the moonlight, Matthew noticed that he wore a ripped and faded military uniform.

"You're not part of the group of Hunters in the area," Matthew observed, allowing his curiosity to show.

"No," the taller man confirmed. "You might be, though."

"I'm on my own," Matthew assured him. He looked down at the boy in his grip. "Are you going to try anything?"

The boy shook his head.

Matthew released him.

The boy looked at Matthew in confusion.

"What's with the military uniform?" Matthew asked the taller man.

"What's it to you," the tall man replied. He kept his gun leveled as his son returned to his side.

"Just curious," Matthew answered. "I'm headed into Boston. If that's where you're coming from, that calls for a potential business arrangement."

The tall man looked at his son and slowly lowered his gun. "What kind of business arrangement?"

Matthew sat down on the hood of a rusted car. "You have information that will make my task a lot easier," he explained, setting his crossbow aside. "If you're willing to share your information with me, I can map out everything I know from here to Buffalo. If not, we can go our separate ways right now. No harm. No foul."

The tall man hesitated for a moment and nodded to his son. They both sat down.

"How do I know I can trust you?" the tall man asked.

"You don't," Matthew admitted. "But do you really want to take your son through territory that you know nothing about?"

The man looked at his son. A moment later, he returned his gaze to Matthew. "Why are you trying to get into Boston."

"I'm looking for someone," Matthew said, leaning forward. "Why are you leaving?"

"The military's cleaning house," the tall man answered. "They're still trying to leave the zone. The Fireflies have been gone for years. Now there's some bullshit about the zone being too close to the ocean to be abandoned. Anyway, they're crossing lines and a lot of innocent people are dying."

"I've seen it before," Matthew said quietly.

"I'm not going to let them turn my son into a monster," the tall man said, putting a hand on the younger boy's shoulder.

Matthew nodded and stayed silent for a moment. Then he sighed. "So, I'm assuming they're guarding all the known entrances and exits," he said. "How's their equipment? A couple trucks and standard pistols?"

"Yeah, pretty much," the tall man answered. "The perimeter is pretty well guarded, but we got out okay."

"How'd you manage that?" Matthew pressed.

The man didn't answer right away. Eventually, he shrugged. The boy watched as his father reached into his backpack and pulled out a thin, rectangular object with a glass screen.

Matthew caught the object as it was tossed to him.

"You know what that is?" the tall man asked.

Matthew examined the object and saw that is was a small computer. He flipped it over and found a button with a faded semi-circle. The semi-circle had a solid line down the middle. Matthew held the button down and, after a few seconds, the screen lit up.

Aside from a crack in the lower left-hand corner, the rest of the screen was in faded but usable condition.

Matthew saw several symbols on the screen. He raised an eyebrow at the older man across from him.

"Touch the camera symbol," the boy said as his father zipped up the backpack.

Matthew complied.

A series of circling dots appeared on the center screen. A few seconds later, a separate screen appeared with three labeled sections.

 **North Wall**

 **South Wall**

 **West Wall**

Matthew hit the west wall button and a large selection of small pictures appeared on the screen. Matthew hit one and the picture came into focus. He flipped through a few more before closing down the device.

"This is good work," Matthew said. "How long ago did you do this?"

"Just a couple days," the older man replied. "We charged the iPad before we left. Military keeps their gear in relatively good condition. It should have a decent charge."

"Relatively," Matthew said, running a hand over the cracked screen.

"Don't waste your blessings," the man advised.

Matthew put down the iPad and took off his backpack, withdrawing a large map. He walked to the car next to the man and his son and laid the map out, taking a marker from his back pocket.

Five minutes later, Matthew put the marker away. "You stick to that route, you should be fine," he said, handing the map to the older man. "Stay away from the major cities and prominent buildings."

"Thanks," the man said genuinely. "Keep that iPad safe. And don't use it for more than ten minutes at a time. The only people with chargers are the military."

"See you in another life," Matthew said, extending his hand.

The older man took it briefly. His son also shook Matthew's hand and they parted ways.

As the older man and his son disappeared down the street, Matthew turned away and walked back into the parking ramp.

It was then that Joel emerged from behind a car, now wearing a green flannel shirt and blue jeans. "Nice work, kid."

"Yeah," Matthew said, handing him the iPad. "Well, the quicker we get into Boston, the better."

"Yeah, I thought you did a really good job," Ellie said sarcastically as she hopped off the top of a car, wearing a light blue sweater over the clothes she'd found in Wellesley. The black sleeve Ellie wore still covered her bite. She walked straight up to Matthew. "I really liked the part where you said, 'I'm on my own, now'."

"Your point being?" Matthew asked, placing his backpack around his shoulders.

"Practicing for something?" Ellie asked challengingly.

"Not tonight, Ellie," Matthew said, running a hand down his face.

Ellie rolled her eyes. "Oh, now you're avoiding me?"

Matthew ignored her. He opened the door to stairwell that led up the parking ramp.

Ellie walked after him. "Matthew…"

 ** _…_**

Joel shook his head and looked at the nearby cars. _They'll be in a bad mood for a few hours and then be fine as usual._

The door closed behind Ellie, leaving Joel alone once again. He looked through the windows to see if there were any useful supplies. _Nothing._

After a few cars, Joel sat down again and put his face in his hand, thinking about Ellie and her friend. _What if she won't come back with me?_

 ** _…_**

Matthew walked through the door at the top of the parking ramp and onto the roof before moving to the edge and looking down at the street.

A few seconds later, Ellie caught up to him. She exaggerated her breathing a little more than necessary. "Do you… ever stop… moving?"

"Nope."

"One-word answers…" Ellie grumbled, leaning on the roof's railing. "Great."

"Ellie," Matthew said quietly. "I promise we'll talk about this later."

They walked toward a car and placed their backpacks on top of it as Matthew grabbed a water bottle.

Ellie walked over and grabbed the bottle before he could uncap it. "Matthew, I've heard this shit before," she growled angrily.

"Heard what before?"

"This 'no more talking' or 'we'll talk about it later' shit!" Ellie snapped as she sat down on the hood of the car. "Every time that shit is said, it's followed swiftly by somebody trying to dump me. And I swear to God Matthew, if that's what you're doing—"

"I'm not!" Matthew said, raising his voice. He took a deep breath and forced himself to lower his voice. "I can't… I can't think about this now. I can't think about it until this whole thing is done."

"But you are thinking about it, Matthew," Ellie argued. "You're just not talking to me. Riley used to do the same…" Ellie's voice trailed off as if she'd realized she may have gone too far.

"Ellie, you're not talking either," Matthew said evenly, grabbing the water bottle and setting it down on the car.

Ellie looked away and didn't say anything. A few seconds later, she chuckled. "God, this argument feels familiar."

"Yeah…" Matthew said with a chuckle of his own. He reached over and put his hand on hers and sighed. "Look, I promise that I will talk about this with you. But not tonight."

"Whatever," Ellie said with a shrug. She stood. "Give me a hug."

Matthew gave her a small, effortless hug.

Ellie's shoulders sank. She sighed in frustration and walked toward the stairwell.

Matthew ran a hand through his hair and sat back down on the car. He put the water bottle away and looked through the contents of his backpack.

 ** _…_**

Joel reached the top of the parking ramp.

Matthew was sitting alone on the hood of a car, reading a book.

"Where's Ellie?" Joel asked.

"She's in the stairwell," Matthew answered, putting away his book. "She's mad at me… again."

"What happened this time?"

"I didn't hug her correctly or something," Matthew said, shaking his head.

"I'm a little bit out of practice with whole thing," Joel said. "So you guys are on your own."

"Well, I'd usually suggest just letting things go, but she's right," Matthew said with a hint of frustration. "I am avoiding… what's next. I figure I'll know what I want to do when the time comes."

Joel sat down on a car across from Matthew.

Matthew remained silent.

Joel intertwined his hands and chose his words carefully. "Kid, if… if Ellie chooses to…" Joel stopped speaking.

Matthew nodded, showing that he understood.

Joel took a deep breath. "Will you be able to let her go?"

Matthew scratched the top of his head and swallowed. "Have you talked to Ellie about this?"

"Not yet, but… I think it's something we all need to think carefully about," Joel said calmly.

"All three of us?" Matthew asked.

"Yeah," Joel admitted. "All three of us. I'm going to check on Ellie."

Joel turned and moved toward door to the stairs.

Matthew quickly stood. "I um… I wanted to say that I was sorry."

"For what?" Joel asked, his hand resting on the doorknob.

"I know what I'm headed for in Boston," Matthew said carefully. He motioned toward the stairwell. "To an extent, I know what she's going back to in Boston, but… I never really stopped to think about what I was bringing _you_ back to."

Joel took his hand off the doorknob. He turned to Matthew and leaned against the door.

Matthew looked away.

"What I'm going back to," Joel said, stroking his beard. "I created for myself a long time ago."

"Did you have anyone?" Matthew asked, looking Joel in the eye. "Back in Boston?"

"I had a partner," Joel said after a moment. "She was… after I pushed everyone away she was really all I had."

Matthew placed his book in his backpack. "We're you two close?"

"You mean like you and…" Joel stopped and looked away.

Matthew shrugged, ignoring the comment.

Joel grunted. "It's all relative. You should get some sleep."

Matthew stood and grabbed his backpack. "I'm not that tired," he said, throwing it over his shoulders again. "I'll see what I can get from some of the cars."

Joel opened the door to the stairwell. He saw Ellie sitting on a landing two levels down. She was shaking. As Joel descended the stairs toward her, he saw that she was asleep. He placed a hand on her shoulder and Ellie awoke, her eyes snapping open.

Ellie turned.

Joel sat down next to her. "Nightmare?" he asked.

"It's nothing," Ellie said, rubbing her eyes.

"You should come upstairs," Joel said.

They rose together.

As they started to ascend the stairs, Ellie stopped.

Joel stopped as well and waited.

"It was about Tess," Ellie said finally. She turned around and looked out the glass window that faced east. "It was about Tess. And Marlene. Riley. Everyone I… Everyone we knew in Boston. They're all dead."

Joel walked down to the step above Ellie and looked to the east as well. "I've been having those dreams too," he said gently. "But we can't change the past."

Joel placed a hand on Ellie's shoulder again.

The moon was now high in the sky, bathing the roof and the stairway in light.

Ellie swallowed and spoke quietly, almost to herself. "It feels like a lifetime since I was there," she said. "But it seems like their deaths only happened yesterday."

Joel's grip on Ellie's shoulder tightened.

Ellie wiped a tear from her eye. "Do you think it'll be worse?" she asked, looking him in the eye. "In the zone?"

Joel looked down. "I don't know, kiddo. But we won't be there long."

Ellie looked out the window again. "I'm scared, Joel. I'm scared that I'm going to freeze. I'm afraid I'm going to get us killed," she said, her voice full of emotion. She looked up at the roof. "I'm scared that I'll fail him. I don't—"

Joel turned Ellie toward him. "You won't freeze," he assured her. He let the admiration he felt show. "You never have."

Ellie nodded slightly and took a deep breath. "Okay," she said in a cheerier tone. "Enough of the mopey stuff."

Joel chuckled and shook his head as Ellie began to walk up the stairs.

As Ellie went to open the door, Joel put his hand on it to stop her. "Why are you doing this, Ellie?" he asked her. "I know the kid means a lot to you, but going into Boston… I don't want to see you hurt again."

"It's just something I have to do," Ellie said. "I don't know how else to explain it."

"Try."

There was a short silence.

"I never finished anything," Ellie said. She took her hand off the door and stood tall as she looked at Joel. "I never finished anything, Joel. I had a gift and I never did anything with it. I know it's not my responsibility anymore, but I need to finish something. And…"

"And?" Joel pressed.

Ellie looked out the window beside her, speaking quietly again. "And I never got to say goodbye to Riley. I know there are some people who never got that chance either. But that doesn't change how I feel."

Joel reached out and placed his hand against the window next to him.

Ellie looked Joel in the eye again as she spoke. "You've always tried to teach me that the best way to let go, is to move on, but… it's never been that way for me. The only way that I can move on… I need to face the fact that she's gone and that I could do nothing to save her. I need to say goodbye. I hope you can understand that, Joel."

Ellie walked past Joel and opened the door, closing it behind her.

Joel stood there for a moment. He looked out the window again, his thoughts a mix of sadness and pride.

 ** _…_**

Matthew opened another car door and sifted through the vehicle's contents.

Like most of the cars on this section of the ramp, there was little of value inside. Matthew was only able to find some loose change in the glove box.

Matthew grunted and pocketed the change for future arrows before sifting around the back seat. He didn't find what he was really looking for.

Matthew shook his head and closed the door with a curse.

"Looking for something?"

Matthew turned to see Joel leaning against a nearby car.

"No," Matthew replied. He moved on to the next car.

"You're still a lousy liar, kid."

Matthew chuckled and held reluctantly up a book that was tucked under his arm.

Joel took it.

Matthew sighed. "It's for Ellie. I wanted to give her something. She's been here for me," he tried to explain. "I've been trying to find something to wrap it with to make it special or something. I know it's stupid."

Joel shrugged and handed Matthew the book as he spoke. "Kid, you've given her more than you realize," he said quietly. "She's going to like it no matter what it's wrapped in."

Matthew nodded and looked down at the book again.

Joel turned away. A few seconds later, he turned around. "If it means that much to you… come with me."

Joel brought them to a car in the corner of the garage two levels down. He stopped and removed an object from his pocket. It was the size and shape of a pen. At the top, it had a push cap.

Joel handed the object to Matthew. "You know what this is?" he asked.

Matthew pushed on the top. A needle quickly extended from the bottom of the object. Matthew released the button and the needle retracted. "Not a clue."

Joel took the object back and glanced outside the garage to make sure nobody was around, holding the object in his palm. "This is a center punch," he explained. "On construction sites, we would use this to mark wood so we knew where we would have to drill."

"Wood?" Matthew asked skeptically.

"Well, that was how it was _supposed_ to be used," Joel said with a rare, mischievous glint in his eye. "Here's another use."

Joel placed the center punch against the middle of the car's back window. He pushed the tab and the needle came out. There was a loud crash and part of the window shattered.

Joel handed the object to Matthew. "Careful. You don't want to slice your hand on the glass."

Matthew nodded his thanks walked up to the next window. He listened for a moment to make sure that they hadn't attracted any attention and then repeated the process.

Joel took a step back.

"Where'd you get this thing?" Matthew asked as he twiddled the object between his fingers.

"Last week at that tool store were holed up in," Joel replied.

Matthew offered the center punch back to Joel.

Joel shook his head. "Keep it. It's good for getting out of a tight situation."

"Well, if I'm using this, I've already messed up," Matthew said, pocketing the center punch. "Breaking glass isn't quiet."

Joel used his backpack to break the rest of the car's window. He reached in, opened the door from the inside, and grabbed out a red-tinted bag with giraffes on it.

Matthew nodded slightly.

Joel handed the bag to Matthew. "This should work for you," he said to the young man.

Matthew glanced inside and took out thin, pink wrapping paper. Some of it got caught on the bracelet he had received in Texas. Matthew tore it off and threw it to the ground, straightening the bracelet on his arm.

Joel eyed the bracelet for a moment.

"Thanks," Matthew said appreciatively, placing the book inside the bag. "This helps."

"No problem."

 ** _…_**

Joel watched as Matthew walked toward the stairs to rejoin Ellie. Joel leaned against the car for a moment. _What are you doing, Joel?_

 ** _…_**

Matthew found Ellie lying on top of a car watching the stars in the sky. She was wrapped in a worn blanket they had found in one of the cars.

"What are you doing?" Matthew asked.

"Counting stars."

Matthew thought for a moment and started spouting off random numbers. "Twenty. Thirty. Fifty-two. Forty-six."

"Thanks, jackass." Ellie said, cuffing him on the ear.

"You're welcome," Matthew said, sitting down on the ground next to the car. "You still mad at me?"

"Being mad was boring," Ellie said, sliding off the car and onto the ground next him. "What's in the bag and where did you get it?"

"Joel found the bag."

"Wow," Ellie said, raising her eyebrows. "You must really think I'm mad. Using Joel?"

"Actually, whenever I talk to Joel about our arguments," Matthew started calmly, closing his eyes. "I spend more time wording what I say in a way that doesn't make everything completely your fault. Which is hard, because sometimes it really is—"

Ellie shoved him with her shoulder. "This is good ammo you're giving me for later and it's going to be much easier stay mad at you. Keep going."

Matthew smiled. He opened his eyes with handed Ellie the bag. "Just open it before I say something to make you throw me off the roof," he said calmly.

Ellie pulled the book out of the bag. "Oooh. Bribing me with a book?" she asked. She flipped through it. "This… actually looks kind of cool. Where did you find this?"

"Actually, you found it," Matthew said. "You were looking at it in the first library we visited. You put it down."

Ellie thought for a moment. "Oh. _That_ library."

"Yeah. Right after that, _I_ got shot," Matthew said, closing his eyes again. "And _you_ almost got us eaten by a bear."

"Hey, _you_ pulled me into the cave," Ellie said, punching his shoulder. "That one's on you."

"I didn't try and pet the furry animal!"

"But it was cute!"

"I think you're strange," Matthew said, lowering his voice again.

Ellie laughed. "Wow… that hurts. Soooo… what did we learn in that cave?"

"Never mess with the cute cub or its parent will come and kill you?"

"Not if the cute cub gets you first," Ellie countered.

Matthew nodded and stood. "Sleep tight, Ellie."

Ellie stood and put a hand on his shoulder. "Matthew, all kidding aside," she said, walking in front of him. "What's with the book?"

"It's… it's just the best way I could think of saying, 'thank you'," Matthew said, placing his hands in his pockets. "Thank you for sticking around. Even before you knew that Riley was my sister and after you found out what I did."

"Thanks for letting _me_ stick around," Ellie said giving him a hug.

Matthew hugged her back.

 ** _…_**

Joel stopped as he reached the top of the ramp.

The young pair held on to each other a few seconds longer.

Ellie let go first.

"So, did I do _that_ hug right?" Matthew asked with a small smile.

"The book helped too," Ellie answered. "Get some sleep, Matthew."

Joel nodded at Matthew as the young man passed by.

Ellie turned over the book she was holding and began to read the back.

Joel sat against the door to the stairs and closed his eyes.


	78. Chapter 78

Fall:

November

Joel found himself grabbed from behind and dragged into the middle of the bar.

"I got him!" his captor shouted. "Welcome to Massachusetts, asshole!"

A second man emerged from an adjoining restroom on the other side of the building. "Let's kick his ass! Wellesley is our turf!" the man said.

"Forget that," the first man said. "Go get the other two!"

Joel headbutted the man holding him and felt the breaking of cartilage. Joel wrenched himself from the man's grip and reached for a beer bottle on a nearby table. He broke it on the table and turned, stabbing the man in the neck.

As the Hunter lay on the ground, writhing in pain, Joel turned to see the second man also holding a broken bottle. The Hunter charged forward and suddenly changed direction. He lurched to the side and collapsed with an arrow in his back.

Joel looked up to see Ellie crouched in the doorway to the restrooms, her bow still held high.

"There's a ton of them out there," Ellie said, walking up to Joel. She looked around the bar. "Where's Matthew?"

 ** _…_**

Matthew crouched behind another Hunter with his knife in hand.

Two others lay on the street behind him, dead from wounds to the neck and chest.

Matthew was mindful of the other two men with guns down the street. He grabbed the man in front of him and stabbed downward.

As the Hunter fell to the ground, Matthew looked around.

The streets were filled with garbage and debris. The buildings were boarded up and broken-down. Matthew turned his eyes forward. A few broken-down cars separated him from his next two victims.

 ** _…_**

Joel checked his ammo and peered out the window.

Matthew continued to creep toward the two Hunters who were congregating next to a car down the street, unaware of his presence.

"Your boyfriend is doing just fine," Joel replied.

"He's not my boyfriend!" Ellie snapped quietly. "I told you we don't use labels like that. It's—"

"Watch out!" Joel said, quickly shoving Ellie to the side.

A bullet sized hole appeared in the window a split second later.

 ** _…_**

Matthew turned and saw the shooter. He fired and arrow and the man ducked back into the cover of a tree.

Matthew turned forward again and saw the two men down the street had raised their guns.

"Hey!" one of them shouted.

Matthew dove to the ground.

 ** _…_**

Joel fired a round at the man who'd shot at Ellie through the window. Ellie drew another arrow and waited. The man peered out of cover. Ellie released the arrow and the Hunter fell to the ground.

 ** _…_**

Matthew crawled to the cover of an abandoned car. He looked through one of the cracked windows and ducked down as it shattered from a bullet fired by a Hunter.

 ** _…_**

Ellie nodded at Joel.

Joel nodded back. He ran out of the bar shooting three times, hitting one of the men in the shoulder. The other two bullets hit the car the two men were now using as cover.

Ellie crouched in the doorway of the bar and watched Joel's back. Another figure came running by, unaware of her presence. She put an arrow its back.

The figure turned, squirming.

Ellie saw its red eyes reflected in the afternoon light. "Shit! Shit! Shit!"

Ellie drew another arrow and shot the Runner in the chest. It fell to the ground a few feet from her, finally going still.

Ellie turned toward Joel and Matthew, who were hunkered together next to the car. "Infected!" she shouted.

Matthew and Joel turned as Clickers and Stalkers started swarming the streets.

 ** _…_**

Joel looked back at the two Hunters. One had ceased his fire and instinctively leaned up to stare down the street. Joel put him down with a bullet to the head.

The other Hunter crouched with a curse. Joel aimed lower and shot his exposed back through a car window. The man fell forward and didn't move again.

Matthew and Ellie each took down a Clicker from long range.

Twelve more Infected took its place.

Joel grabbed Matthew and called to Ellie. "Move!"

 ** _…_**

Matthew and Joel waited just long enough to know Ellie was moving toward them with two guitars in tow.

Matthew led the way down the street. He skidded to a stop as he felt vibration beneath his feet.

Joel started to run by and found himself on the ground as Matthew yanked him backwards. A Bloater stalked around the corner, swinging its huge arms. It hit the brick building near where Joel's head had been moments before.

Matthew quickly hauled Joel to his feet and they ran toward Ellie.

Ellie glanced around and saw an alley leading away from the street. "The alley! Over there!"

Matthew and Joel ran after her.

A door started to open in front of them.

Joel shoved it shut and they made their way across the street.

A Hunter burst the door. "What the fuck is going on out here?" He turned into one of the Bloater's flailing arms.

More Hunters burst from the buildings.

The trio continued to run as screams of both Infected and Hunters filled the area.

 ** _…_**

Ellie slowed slightly as Matthew and Joel reached her. She pointed down the new street as she spoke. "The high school!"

"We don't know what's in there," Joel warned.

"It's better than anything out here!" Matthew argued.

Joel reluctantly nodded.

When they reached the school, Matthew glanced at Joel. "Sorry that I threw you back there."

"I'll get over it."

 ** _…_**

Joel, Ellie, and Matthew ran through the door to the high school and quickly shut it behind them.

Slowly, the screams and sounds of gunfire outside began to die down.

Joel took a breath of relief and looked down the dark hall.

Many of the lockers stood open and the hallway stretched the length of the building. Joel looked to their left. Above the door to the next room was the faded word 'Office'.

The trio quickly into the room and closed the door behind them.

Ellie and Matthew drew their weapons and moved through the various cubicles and into the health office on the far side. They looked at each other and nodded. Together, they lowered their weapons and all three of them remained silent for a full ten minutes.

"That was too close," Joel finally grumbled. He stood and softly opened the door, looking down the hall.

The school was completely quiet.

Joel closed the door. "Good call, Ellie."

"Thanks," Ellie said, placing her bow around her shoulder. "Now what? Should we go out again? We can get a few more hours in before dark."

Joel glanced at Matthew for an answer and saw conflict on the young man's eyes.

Matthew slowly shook his head.

"Let's stay put for now," Joel answered.

Ellie glanced at the ceiling and saw a faded banner hanging above her. "What does 'happy homecoming' mean?"

Joel looked down the hall. There were similar signs on various lockers in the hallway. "Before the outbreak, most high schools would have a party to cheer on their sports team."

Matthew sifted through some papers on the desks. One was a checklist of duties assigned to teachers. "Looks serious…" he commented.

"It was more about the party, the drinking, and hooking up," Joel grunted. "Although, for most, it was just about drinking and hooking up."

"Speaking from experience?" Ellie asked.

"What date is on those papers?" Joel asked Matthew, ignoring Ellie.

"Um… September 26th," Matthew said, reading the paper using light coming through the blinds on a closed window. He set the papers down. "The day of the outbreak. There could still be some Infected in here."

"Or there may not be," Ellie said, standing. "I'll check out some of the lockers. See if there's anything we can use."

Joel reached into his backpack. "Go with her," he said, tossing his gas mask to Matthew. "Keep this on until you get back here."

"I hate these things," Matthew grumbled, putting on the mask.

"Everyone does," Joel said. He walked behind the desk and opened a drawer. "You two know the drill. Stay away from rooms that are marked 'auditorium', 'cafeteria', or 'gym'. That's where the Infected would likely be gathered."

Matthew nodded and grabbed his crossbow. He exchanged a nod with Ellie and they moved to exit the room.

"Make sure you're back here in an hour," Joel called.

 ** _…_**

Ellie and Matthew walked outside the office and found their path blocked by a gate that used to be held up by electricity.

Matthew hauled it up and allowed Ellie to go first. Ellie turned and held the gate from the other side for Matthew as he crawled under it.

Once they were through, Ellie and Matthew moved down the hallway, searching as many lockers as possible. They kicked aside the remains of balloons and other decorations that littered the floor.

Ellie opened another locker and hesitated. She grabbed a picture taped to the inside and looked at it. A group of teenagers that seemed to be Ellie's age were posing in front of a camera. All were wearing dresses and other formal wear.

Matthew grabbed a bag of hard candy from the locker next to Ellie. "Have some dessert," he said, tossing the bag to Ellie.

Ellie caught it and put the picture back.

"This place is weird," Ellie said as she looked around.

"What, you didn't have 'homecomings' at the military orphanage?" Matthew asked in amusement.

"Not exactly," Ellie said. She leaned against the locker and sighed. "You think we would have done something like this? You know, homecoming? School parties?"

"Not with each other," Matthew said through his mask with a hint of sadness. "The odds of us knowing each other when the world was different aren't very good. We'd probably be on different sides of the country."

"And what were the odds of us meeting the way the world is now?" Ellie countered with a sly grin.

"Good point," Matthew said. He sighed. "We should finish this hallway and get back to the office."

Ellie nodded and opened the next locker. It had a large backpack inside. She opened the backpack and poured out its contents, tossing aside a few electronic devices and examining the clothing inside.

One was a pair of dark blue jeans. She put them to the side and held up a grey shirt with a few holes along the rims. The third piece of clothing was a dark blue, button up vest.

"Here," Ellie said, tossing the clothes to Matthew. "These should fit."

Matthew nodded his thanks and shoved them in his backpack for later. He opened the next locker and gabbed out a dark red zip-up sweatshirt.

Matthew looked at the size and tossed it to Ellie. "Trade ya."

Ellie caught the sweatshirt. They started walking back toward the office. Matthew pulled off the mask and breathed in deeply.

Ellie put on the sweater Matthew had given her. A piece of paper on the floor slid under her feet and she stumbled slightly. She grabbed Matthew's arm for support and kept on walking, unconsciously intertwining her hand with his.

"You didn't really answer my question," Ellie said. "You think we would have done something like a homecoming dance?"

"Honestly, I don't think so," Matthew said. "I don't think we would have hung with the same crowd. We're too different."

"Maria, Joey's mom back in Jackson," Ellie said for clarification. "She told me that opposites attract."

"Funny," Matthew said as they walked around another pile of papers. "I didn't picture you as someone who would look for relationship advice."

Ellie rolled her eyes. After a few seconds, she lifted Matthew's arm and spun in a circle.

Matthew stopped walking. "What are you doing?"

"I'm dancing," Ellie replied, spinning under his arm again. "C'mon, dance with me."

"No."

"Pleeeeaaaase?"

"Not happening."

Ellie let out a long, drawn out sigh. "You're no fun sometimes."

"I. Don't. Dance."

 ** _…_**

Joel looked up when he heard Ellie and Matthew's voices.

"Would you let go of my hand?" Matthew was asking.

"Dance with me," Ellie said simply. "Then I'll let go."

"Wow… Oh look, the office," Matthew said with a dramatic sigh of relief. "We're back. Now let go."

"Fine… pansy."

The door opened and Matthew and Ellie walked in.

Joel sat down as Ellie released Matthew's hand.

"So, uh… did you guys find anything, or did you just flirt the entire time?" Joel asked, scratching the back of his head.

"Oh, ha, ha, ha," Ellie said sarcastically. She motioned to herself. "Do you not see the new sweater?"

"Yes, it's very nice," Joel grumbled. He glanced at the door leading to the hallway. "Are we safe?"

"So far," Ellie replied. She grabbed a piece of candy from the bag Matthew had given her. She took a bite and gulped. "That's a little stale."

Ellie moved to close the office door and stopped short, looking at the lockers in the hallway beyond. She walked out of the office and returned with a dress in her hand.

Matthew moved to look out the window.

"Soooo…" Ellie said, walking in front of Joel. "You know how you freak out about shirts that are a little too small?"

"Yes, we've had the conversation before," Joel said as Matthew turned.

Ellie held up a purple dress bundled in her hand. "What do you think of this?" she asked.

Ellie held the dress up to her neck and let go of its bottom half. The dress spilled down to her ankles. Ellie turned it around. There was a large opening that would expose the majority of the wearer's back.

Matthew sniggered and shook his head.

Ellie took a small step toward Joel. "I'm waiting."

Joel reached over and snatched the dress from her hands.

"Hey!" Ellie exclaimed.

"It'll burn nicely," Joel said, stuffing the dress into his backpack.

Matthew was staring out the window again. Ellie took a drink from her water bottle as Joel joined Matthew at the window with two of his own.

"You alright?" Joel asked.

"I don't like sitting around when there's still sunlight," Matthew said. "It feels like we're wasting time."

"That's what you said last time," Joel grunted, offering the young man a water bottle.

"Yeah, I guess so," Matthew said, taking a drink. He turned and grabbed his crossbow. "I'm going to take a look around outside."

"You sure?" Joel asked.

"We don't know for sure if we're alone in this school," Matthew said, handing Joel the gas mask and water bottle. "I'd like to know that we have a backup plan."

"Going out there sounds like a bad idea," Ellie cautioned.

"I'll be fine," Matthew assured her. He walked out without a word.

Ellie sighed in frustration. She moved along the office, looking at the pictures on the walls. A few of them were pictures of various sports teams.

Ellie traced here finger along a picture that contained a soccer team and turned to Joel. "Did Sarah ever get nervous, you know, before… things? Tests, games, stuff like that?"

"No," Joel answered. "No, she was a lot like you Ellie. Always facing everything head-on. If she was scared… I didn't see it."

Ellie smiled and walked away from the pictures. She sat down across from Joel and closed her eyes.

"I don't know where she got it," Joel continued. He stroked his watch. "She was… a lot braver than I am."

"I think she got it from you," Ellie said, opening her eyes.

 ** _…_**

Matthew crept around another corner and came to a small park with a full-sized jungle gym. There was only one entrance to the park. The other three sides were blocked by fences and buildings with barricaded doors. Matthew nodded to himself and turned away.

 ** _…_**

Joel looked out the window again.

It was close to sunset.

Joel glanced at Ellie, who as staring at her knife. "You okay?" he asked.

"What?" Ellie said, looking up in surprise. "Oh, yeah, I'm fine."

"What's up, kiddo?"

"Nothing," Ellie said, looking away. A moment later, she sighed and stood, putting her knife back in her pocket. "If you had a choice to take back everything that happened, even the outbreak, would you take it?"

Joel looked down for a moment and intertwined his fingers. "You can't change the past," he said quietly.

Ellie nodded and turned away.

Joel stood and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I wouldn't change anything about now, either."

Ellie smiled sadly and leaned against the desk next to them. "It's just, sometimes I feel…" Ellie took a moment to collect her thoughts. "I feel like I'm trying to live up to someone… something… that I don't know… Something that I've never understood…"

"Believe it or not," Joel said after a brief silence. "That's life."

"I know it doesn't make sense," Ellie said, looking way.

"Ellie, you don't have to live up to anyone," Joel said gently. "You should never feel that you have to do more than you're capable of doing."

"That's never seemed like an option," Ellie replied, pulling on her ponytail. "Even before I was bitten."

"That's what makes you different," Joel said with admiration. "You've always tried to do what's best for everyone else."

Ellie smiled for a moment. She stopped fidgeting with her ponytail and turned to Joel. "Joel, I wanted to tell you something before—"

At that second, Matthew walked back through the doorway and started speaking. "It's clear for now. I also saw…" Matthew fell silent as he seemed to realize that he may have interrupted something. "Sorry… I'll give you a minute."

"It's fine," Ellie said quickly. "What'd you find?"

There was a crash down the hall, followed by shouting voices.

"Shit!"

"Run!"

"Bloaters!"

Ellie and Joel quickly grabbed their backpacks and guitars. Matthew moved into the hallway, his crossbow leveled. They heard a loud roar and the sound of agitated Infected. There was another scream followed by gunshots.

Joel shook his head in frustration. "That's gonna bring them everywhere," he said, grabbing his pistol. "Let's go."

Matthew reached the school's exit first. "I'll lead the way."


	79. Chapter 79

Matthew led Joel and Ellie to the park a few blocks away.

The jungle gym ahead of them was made two of structures. It had platforms with a slide on either side. The two platforms were connected by a wide blue tunnel with three arm-width holes on either side.

Ellie looked around. The doors and windows on the surrounding buildings were boarded up. The fence behind the jungle gym was intact.

"One entrance, one exit," Joel observed, glancing around the secluded park.

They heard another few gunshots behind them.

Ellie dropped her guitar and turned, drawing back an arrow. "Get to cover!" she warned.

Joel and Matthew took cover under the jungle gym. Ellie released an arrow and killed a Clicker that has spotted them.

Ellie turned, climbed up the jungle gym, crawled into the blue tunnel, and looked through one of the three holes on its side.

A few Infected ran to the now dead Clicker. They stood there for a moment staring at nothing. There was another round of gunfire in the distance and the Infected ran off in the opposite direction, exiting the park.

Ellie extracted herself from the tunnel and retrieved her guitar.

Joel and Matthew were still crouched under the jungle gym.

"I vote for staying here for the night," Ellie said.

"Agreed," Joel replied. "We should keep an eye out though. Someone may have the same idea as us."

"I'll take the first shift," Matthew said. He moved toward the entrance to the park, holding his crossbow steady.

Joel and Ellie sat down.

Ellie shivered. "It's going to be cold tonight," she said. "We shouldn't risk a fire, though."

"You starting to miss that bed back in Jackson?" Joel teased.

"I miss the blankets."

 ** _…_**

The evening brought thick clouds.

Matthew paced back and forth a few feet from the opening to the park. He continued scanning the doors and windows of the surrounding buildings.

Nothing was moving, save for the cold breeze.

Ellie walked up next to him and offered him a piece of candy.

Matthew shook his head.

Ellie shrugged and took another bite. She looked at Matthew again.

The young man stood perfectly still.

"Aren't you cold?" Ellie asked, poking his exposed arm.

"No."

"Why is it that whenever you get tense, you give me one-word answers?" Ellie asked.

Matthew shrugged and didn't say a word.

Ellie turned away. "I'll see you… over there if you want to talk or something."

"Ellie," Matthew said as she walked away.

Ellie turned to him.

Matthew took a few steps closer. "Do you ever think that maybe we won't make it? That we're going to die before we finish what we're supposed to do?"

Ellie opened her mouth to reply, then shut it. She walked back to Matthew and remained silent for a few seconds before replying. "No," she finally said. "I try not to."

"Why?"

"If I think I'm going to die or fail… I don't know. It just feels like that kind of thinking makes the possibility of failing more real," Ellie said. She shoved her hands in her pockets and looked down. "I don't want anyone else to die. I've had too many people leave me already."

Thunder sounded overhead and rain droplets fell from the sky.

Ellie rolled her eyes and looked at Matthew in amusement. "Great," she said with a sly smile. "You got me depressed and it started raining."

Matthew laughed but quickly silenced himself when they heard the cries of Infected reacting to another round of thunder.

"We should get back to Joel," Matthew said. "Those things'll be moving in the area."

Ellie held out her hand.

Matthew grabbed it.

Ellie looked from side to side. "Wait a moment," she said. Ellie let go of Matthew's hand and walked over to the right side of the park, grabbing a garden gnome sitting next one of the barricaded doors. She walked back to the park's entrance and set the gnome down, facing the street. "He'll keep an eye out."

"I'm sorry I left the school, earlier," Matthew said as they continued walking. "I was restless."

"It's fine," Ellie shrugged. "You came back."

"Ellie, I've been meaning to ask you something," Matthew said, stopping them again. "When Riley came back to you after she became a Firefly, you said that she was planning on leaving again and then she decided to stay. You never said why."

"I said 'don't go'," Ellie replied simply. She tapped the Firefly pendant still hanging from Matthew's neck. "I said 'don't go' and she threw this to the ground."

Ellie and Matthew continued walking without a word.

The storm grew louder. They took cover under the jungle gym while they ate.

Matthew excused himself shortly after and made his way into the tunnel to sleep for the night.

 ** _…_**

Ellie was still awake a few hours later. She gave up on reading the book Matthew had given her.

After playing on her guitar for a while, Ellie looked over and saw that Joel was already asleep. He was sitting up, his back against a ladder attached to the jungle gym.

Ellie stood and looked at the sky.

It was raining hard. Everything was rattling.

Ellie could also hear the occasional howl of Infected in the distance.

Joel grunted in his sleep.

After a while, Ellie slowly crawled out from under the jungle gym and reached into one of the holes in the tunnel. She felt Matthew's hand squeeze her own.

Ellie smiled slightly, climbed up to the entrance of the tunnel, and poked her head inside.

Matthew was lying on his back his with his body stretched the length of the tunnel. "Yes?" he asked.

"Can I come in?" Ellie asked, already turning around.

"Ellie, I don't think there's ro—ouch!"

After hauling herself into the tunnel backwards and accidently elbowing Matthew a few times, Ellie came to a rest. She laid on her back facing the ceiling of the tunnel. Her head rested on Matthew's right shoulder.

"There," Ellie said, tipping her head backwards so she could see Matthew's face. "I'm in."

Matthew shook his head in amusement.

For a moment, they listened to pattering of rain on the outside of the tunnel.

Ellie grabbed Matthew's hand and started to fiddle with his fingers.

Matthew grasped her hand for a moment before letting it go. "Is there something wrong?" he asked.

"No," Ellie answered. "I'm just not tired. And considering you're still awake, that means you're not tired either."

"Is there anything you want to talk about?"

"Not really."

Matthew closed his eyes. "Well, when you do have something, let me know."

As the night wore on, Matthew and Ellie exchanged random questions that had no particular subject, continuing the game that they had started so long ago.

It was Ellie's turn. "So… no girlfriends or boyfriends?"

Matthew rolled his eyes. "No, Ellie. No girlfriends or boyfriends."

"You were a Firefly and a soldier," Ellie said looking up at him in disbelief. "You're telling me that you had nobody crushing on you?"

"I didn't say that."

"God," Ellie said dramatically, ignoring his answer. "You must have been ugly."

"I may have had a few people who liked me," Matthew said, using his free hand to fiddle with Ellie's ponytail. "I just never felt the same way."

"Ugly," Ellie whispered loudly.

"Whatever," Matthew replied. "Oh wait. There was this one girl that I met in Wyoming. She almost got me eaten a few times and she would never shut—"

Ellie elbowed Matthew in the chest.

Matthew laughed.

Ellie smiled but remained silent.

Matthew shifted into a slightly more comfortable position. "What about you?" he asked.

"I think you already know the answer to that," Ellie said.

"I meant what about you and Riley?" Matthew clarified, almost hesitantly. Ellie didn't say anything so Matthew continued, choosing his words carefully. "You mentioned that she was your first kiss…"

Ellie closed her eyes. She took a moment before speaking. "I loved her Matthew. She was my best friend… it's all complicated, but…" Ellie tipped her head back so she could look up at him. "Does it really matter?"

"You were there for her," Matthew said quietly. "That's all that's ever mattered to me. And I'm sure that's all that ever mattered to her."

Ellie smiled and sat up slightly, kissing Matthew lightly on the curve of his chin. "You need to shave" she said, pretending to pull a hair off her tongue. "You're getting scruffy."

"Great. I'll have to keep that in mind," Matthew said with a laugh. "I think I broke my razor about two seconds after _somebody_ came running out of a building being chased by a Bloater."

"It was a Clicker. Bloaters are the ones that throw shit at you," Ellie corrected. She stuck her free hand out the hole in the tunnel. Droplets of rain fell on her outstretched hand. She sighed in mock relief. "So, no girlfriends or boyfriends. Good. I'd hate to have to make a detour on the way back. Somebody's ass would have to be kicked for breaking the ugly kid's heart."

Ellie withdrew her hand, wiping it on her face.

"Get back to where, Ellie?" Matthew asked.

"What?"

"You said 'on our way back'," Matthew replied. "What did you mean?"

Ellie didn't know what to say.

Matthew took a deep breath and he let go of her hand briefly. "You want to go back to Jackson County, don't you?"

Ellie couldn't decipher the emotion in his voice. "I don't know what I want, okay?" she said finally. When Matthew didn't speak, Ellie continued. "I think you're say the same. Do you think you could ever settle down in a zone or something?"

"Not really," Matthew answered.

"Why?" Ellie asked after a moment.

Matthew was silent for a few seconds. "I haven't decided if it's because I don't think I deserve it, or if I just don't like people."

"Well, not everyone is the same as who we see out here," Ellie argued.

"I know," Matthew said. "You and Joel are proof of that."

"Let tell you a story," Ellie said, laying back on his shoulder. "When Joel and I were first looking for the Fireflies, we had to move through this sewer. Joel kept on finding these notes. I raided his backpack when he wasn't looking."

"I figured," Matthew said with an amused grunt.

Ellie gave him a small smile. "Anyway, they were written by this guy named Ish. After the outbreak, he lived on his boat for a while. Then he ran out of supplies and started a life in the sewers. You know what he found after all that time of being alone?"

"What?" Matthew asked.

"He found that he missed people," Ellie said. "He started a community. He didn't want to die alone."

They fell silent again as the rain continued to fall.

"What happened to him?" Matthew finally asked.

"That's not the point," Ellie said with a shake of her head, knowing that Matthew didn't need an answer. "Look, you may not realize it now, but someday you're going to find that being alone and surviving isn't enough. Even if you don't want to be part of a large group, it'll still suck being alone."

Matthew was silent for a while. Then he squeezed Ellie's hand. "I need you to promise me that after this is done, you're going to do what's best for yourself," he said seriously.

"I promise if you promise," Ellie said, squeezing his hand.

"I promise," Matthew said. He yawned. "I think I'm ready for sleep now."

"Me too," Ellie said. She didn't let go of his hand.

Matthew attempted to let go.

Ellie tightened her grip.

"Ellie, this is pretty confined space," Matthew warned. "You know how I get with some of my nightmares."

"Well, I'm comfy now," Ellie said, snuggling in closer. "Soooo there."

Matthew let out a sigh but closed his eyes nonetheless, evidently realizing that this was an argument he wouldn't win.

Ellie simply grabbed Matthew's other hand and connected his arms across her abdomen. "Just squeeze if you need me," she said.

"Right," Matthew said.

Ellie closed her eyes and laid her head to side, resting once again on his shoulder. "Goodnight, Matthew."

 ** _…_**

Matthew swallowed again and hoped that nothing bad would happen. He rested his head against hers as sleep began to wash over him. "Goodnight, Ellie."

 ** _…_**

"Thanks for the information," John Damion grunted.

The Hunter groaned as Damion hauled him to his feet and threw him through the window of a nearby building. The Hunter had no time to examine his cuts before a group of Runners moved in.

Damion kept walking, ignoring the man's screams of pain. _I'm a day behind them. I'll catch up to them in Boston._

Damion picked up a pipe from the ground and used it to send a stray Runner to the ground. Its blood joined those of the Hunters Damion had recently put down. He dropped the pipe and kept walking.


	80. Chapter 80

Ellie awoke, briefly forgetting where she was.

Matthew stirred beneath her.

Ellie relaxed and laid her head back down on Matthew's shoulder for a moment.

Ellie's hand was still intertwined with his. Her other hand was fiddling with Riley's pendant that still hung around his neck.

Ellie leaned up slightly when she heard shuffling outside.

Ellie froze. _Oh, shit! Joel's awake!_ Ellie forced herself to relax. _Why do I care? Well, we might as well get this over with._

Ellie sat up as slowly as she could so as to not disturb Matthew. She hesitated for a moment and gave him a small kiss on the forehead before carefully extracting herself from the tunnel.

Ellie jumped down from the jungle gym as Joel turned toward her. "I thought you'd run off again or something," he said lazily

Ellie shook her head and rubbed her eyes before straightening her shirt.

"We're you in there all night?" Joel asked.

Ellie heard the concern in his voice. "It's fine, Joel. Nothing happened. No nightmares," she said calmly.

Joel didn't look away.

Ellie gave him a sly grin. "My lips are sore, though."

Joel shifted uncomfortably. "Ellie…"

Ellie punched him lightly on the shoulder. "I'm just fucking with you. Nothing happened," she assured him, grabbing her backpack. "I forgot that you don't have a sense of humor before coffee… or ever."

"Thanks for that," Joel said. "I bet you can count to the date the last time you had a soda."

"Texas," Ellie said immediately. She looked back at the tunnel.

Matthew had not emerged.

Ellie looked at Joel. "Can we go for a walk or something?"

"Sure."

Joel and Ellie began to walk the perimeter of the park, keeping a close eye on the entrance for potential threats. Ellie was silent for a minute before speaking. "I forgive you, you know."

Joel stopped. "What?"

Ellie stopped walking as well and looked at him. "I forgive you. I just wanted you to know that," she said. "And… I'm sorry for dragging you back out here."

"Ellie, you didn't drag me out here," Joel said calmly. "I never meant to hurt you."

"I guess we're both sorry then," Ellie said.

Joel and Ellie both chuckled at the familiar comment and started walking again.

Ellie placed her hands in her pockets. "When I left… I wasn't just mad at you. I had my own issues that I had to work out."

"And now?"

"And now…" Ellie stopped and glanced back toward the tunnel.

Matthew still hadn't emerged.

Joel put a hand on Ellie's shoulder. "You want to stay with him," he said quietly. "Don't you?"

"I don't know," Ellie said honestly. "I don't want to leave him behind. I don't want to leave anyone behind."

Joel slowly nodded.

Ellie sighed in frustration and took out her knife, examining it.

Joel gently grabbed the knife and folded it closed. He kept a gentle grip on her hand. "Ellie," he said as she looked at him. "You have to understand that soon… you may have to let him go."

Ellie looked down for a moment. "You have to understand that one day," she replied gently as she extracted her hand from Joel's. "You'll have to let me go too, Joel." There was no anger in her voice.

Joel opened his mouth to reply before shaking his head. "But not today."

"Right," Ellie said, nodding. "Not today."

Ellie and Joel continued walking in silence until they reached a swing set on the other side of the park. Ellie sat down in one and Joel sat in the other.

Joel shoved Ellie slightly.

Ellie smiled and steadied herself.

Joel wrapped his hand around one of the swing's supports as Ellie began to swing.

"What makes him different?" Joel asked as the sun rose over the roof of the buildings.

"What?" Ellie said as she stopped swinging.

"Other than his indifference to your immunity," Joel said, motioning to the jungle gym. "What makes him different than anyone else in Jackson?"

Ellie closed her hands over her heart and looked up again, speaking in a wispy voice.

"Oh, it was just the most romantic moment of my life," she said in mock wonder. She waved one hand through the air while keeping her heart covered with the other. "He swept me off my feet and then I knew, I _knew_ , he was the one…"

By now, Joel was just shaking his head again.

Ellie fell silent. She knew Joel had wanted an answer. Ellie spoke again, keeping her tone serious. "The night you found us, well, that morning actually… Matthew and I had a fight."

"You guys have your disagreements."

Ellie shook her head. "No this was… this was bad. The morning we arrived in Austin to find whoever Matthew was looking for, we ended up sitting at this outdoor bar," she explained.

Joel turned to her in the swing.

Ellie's eyes narrowed. She allowed some anger to creep into her voice. "There was this asshole that was beating on his kid."

"Something tells me you didn't let that happen for much longer," Joel grunted.

"I didn't get there first."

Joel glanced at the jungle gym in surprise. "The kid?"

Ellie nodded. "Matthew gave the guy one chance. After that, he put the asshole on the ground, and then some," she said with slight satisfaction.

"Doesn't sound like Matthew," Joel commented.

Ellie looked over at Joel, her hands tightening around the swing. "The boy's mom got mad at us. She said the boy's beating would only be worse next time. And that it was our… Matthew's fault."

"Well, as good as it feels kicking the shit out of some asshole that beats on kids," Joel said quietly. "That's only one beating stopped. If anything, the guy will just take it out on the kid or the wife later. So, what did Matthew you do to make _you_ mad?"

Ellie looked down. "He walked away. The only thing that kept the boy and the mother there, in that situation, was that they didn't have enough ration cards to move."

"These days are hard on families," Joel said calmly.

Ellie stood. "Matthew had more than enough to help and he just walked away," she said, allowing some of the past frustration to enter her voice.

Joel stood and waited patiently for Ellie to continue.

Ellie took a deep breath and started fidgeting with her fingers. "We had a huge blowout. After that, Matthew went to talk to the man he was looking for and I went to your house."

Joel glanced at the tunnel again before returning his gaze to Ellie.

"And I was afraid…" Ellie stopped fidgeting and looked at Joel. "I was afraid that he wouldn't come back. I didn't want to be left alone."

"But he came back," Joel reminded her.

"He had no ration cards left," Ellie continued. "And you know that bracelet Matthew's always wearing?"

Joel glanced at his watch.

Ellie looked back at the jungle gym with a small smile. "The little boy in Austin was wearing it," she said, looking at Joel. "That's when I knew I liked him. That's what makes him different. He reminded me that even in this world, where any object, especially ration cards, could mean the difference between life and death, people can still be capable of just saying 'fuck it' and give their stuff away to help someone else."

Joel remained silent.

Ellie scratched the sleeve covering her bite.

Joel grabbed her hand and gently moved it away. "Some people learn from those closest to them," he said softly.

"He understands me," Ellie said, looking into Joel's eyes. "And I understand him."

Back at the jungle gym, Matthew finally emerged from the tunnel, wearing the grey t-shirt Ellie had found at the school.

Ellie tightened her ponytail and looked at Joel. "That's the best I got for you," she said.

Joel simply nodded.

Ellie began to walk toward Matthew, who was now grabbing his backpack. She stopped with her back to Joel and spoke, almost to herself. "I don't to want to leave him…" she whispered. She glanced over her shoulder without turning. "And I don't want to abandon you."

Joel didn't offer a reply.

"Thanks for the walk, Joel," Ellie said as she continued walking.

"Anytime kiddo."

 ** _…_**

Joel watched as Ellie walked away.

The young woman reached Matthew, placing a hand briefly on his shoulder before moving on.

Joel looked down at the ground, once again questioning what he would do if Ellie chose to stay with the boy.

 ** _…_**

Matthew stretched and clipped the crossbow to his belt. He glanced at the bracelet on his wrist for a moment pulling on the blue vest from the school.

"Is Joel pissed?" Matthew asked Ellie as he placed the center punch Joel had given him into the pocket of his vest.

"No," Ellie answered, grabbing her backpack and guitar. "We just went for a walk."

Ellie walked toward the edge of the park.

Joel walked forward a few seconds later.

Matthew put his hair up into a ponytail. "Morning, sir."

"Morning," Joel said, placing his backpack around his shoulder. "Any nightmares?"

"No," Matthew said. "Look about last night…"

Joel held up a hand. "It's fine, kid. Ellie already told me nothing happened," the older man assured him.

"Good," Matthew said.

Joel hesitated for a moment and glanced at Matthew. "Nothing happened, right?" the older man asked.

"No, sir."

"Good," Joel said, grabbing his guitar. He placed his backpack around his shoulders. "If we're lucky, we'll be finishing this up tomorrow night."

 **…**

"So much for luck…" Ellie grumbled, sitting down with an annoyed sigh.

Ellie, Matthew, and Joel stared at the distant Wall surrounding the Boston Quarantine Zone. The trio had been delayed by a large group of Hunters and Infected a few miles away and had arrived an hour later than the pictures depicted on the iPad.

Currently, they were camped out at the bottom of a grassy hill. From the top of the hill, they could quietly observe the Wall surrounding Boston. The sun had already set.

Matthew turned around and faced his companions as Joel sat down. "We should just go now," he said to the older man.

"Not a good idea," Joel said calmly. "They've already made the shift change, which means we can't guarantee anything. We'll wait until tomorrow. We need to do this right, or we'll get killed."

"You're right," Matthew said in resignation, setting down his backpack. "Sorry, I'm… I don't know. I'm going to go for a walk."

"Do you want company?" Ellie asked.

Matthew didn't answer.

Ellie looked down. "I guess not…"

Ellie opened her book and read the last twenty pages. She closed the book and looked up to see Joel gazing at the Wall surrounding the zone, his features virtually unreadable in the cloudy night.

Ellie got up and stood beside him, tucking her book under her arm. "Are you as nervous as I am?" she asked.

"Probably more," Joel replied. "Three years is a long time. There's no telling how much the place has changed."

Joel turned away and started to descend the hill.

Ellie heard Joel stop when he realized she wasn't following.

Ellie stared at the Wall in the distance. After a few seconds, she turned away and joined Joel.

They walked back down the hill together.

"Joel, I need to do something before we go into that mall," Ellie said when they reached their camp. She spoke quickly before Joel could reply. "I need to go back to the orphanage."

"I thought you hated that place," Joel said, confused.

"I did. If it weren't for Riley and Marlene, I probably wouldn't have stayed," Ellie admitted. "But… look there's something I need to get. I'm sure it's still there."

"Alright," Joel said, sitting down the ground.

Ellie remained standing in surprise.

Joel shrugged. "The way I see it, we'll be headed that direction anyway."

"Thank you," Ellie said.

"You're welcome," Joel said. "How was the book?"

"It was pretty good. The princess was kind of weak, though. She didn't do shit," Ellie grumbled. She placed the book in her backpack. "I prefer the girls in that Uncharted board game that Tommy got me a few years ago. Still, the book took place in a strange time."

"How so?" Joel asked, starting up a small fire.

Ellie picked up a few sticks and tossed them in Joel's direction. "Well, the knights of the different realms would all wear different armor," she said slowly. "I guess it was their way of showing who or what meant most to them."

Joel lit the fire and sat down across from Ellie, stroking his watch.

Ellie continued. "Still, I never understood until now why the Fireflies all had pendants and why the military had their own tags."

Joel leaned forward. "Well, for the Firefly's at least, it represented hope."

Ellie looked into the fire thoughtfully.

Joel grabbed his guitar. "You want to practice?" he asked.

 ** _…_**

Matthew sat against a tree a short distance away, fidgeting with Riley's pendant. He forced himself to take another calming breath. _One more day. One more day. Then… what?_

Matthew was broken out of his thoughts by Ellie and Joel practicing with their guitars.

After a few seconds, Matthew smiled and pulled the iPad out of his backpack. _Why not?_

 ** _…_**

Joel stopped after he strummed the wrong note.

Ellie stopped as well. She looked at him curiously as he shook his head. "You've never messed up that one," she observed.

"You're not allowed to call me on my mistakes," Joel replied.

"Yeah, if I have to correct you, then I declare myself better at the guitar," Ellie said with no small amount of attitude. She leaned forward, lowering her voice. "Seriously, Joel, spit it out."

Joel took a deep breath. "I just wanted to say that I was proud of you."

"For what?" Ellie asked, confused.

"Everything," said Joel with pride. "After everything we've been through, I don't think I've ever told you that. I just… wanted to tell you."

"Thanks, Joel," Ellie said with a genuine smile. She wiped her eye.

Joel nodded and grabbed his guitar. "Want to give it another go?"

"Totally."

They put their guitars away five minutes later, the song they'd been working on for three years finally finished.

 ** _…_**

Matthew returned to Ellie and Joel a short time later.

Ellie let out a sigh of relief.

Joel looked between them for a moment before prodding at the fire with a stick.

"I found a loose sewer grate," Matthew informed them.

"Can we get into the zone?" Joel asked.

"No," Matthew answered. "It's caved in, but I figure it'll be a good spot to stash our stuff."

Ellie's grip on her guitar tightened. "Good idea," she said with a yawn. "I'm going to bed. I'll see you two in the morning."

"Good job with practice," Joel complimented.

Ellie put a hand on his shoulder and turned to Matthew, giving him a one-handed hug that lasted a little longer than necessary. She walked to the other side of the camp, put away her guitar, and laid down, using her backpack as a pillow. Within minutes she was asleep.

Matthew looked at Ellie for a moment before sitting down. He stared at ground until he was interrupted by a chess board falling to his feet.

Joel sat down.

Matthew continued to stare at the ground. "Not tonight, sir."

"Trust me, kid. You need it."

Joel set up the board.

Matthew took a deep breath but remained silent.

Joel placed the queen on the board and looked at Matthew, who was staring blankly at the chess pieces in front of him.

"You have anything you want to talk about?" Joel asked.

Matthew forced himself to relax, if only slightly. "No."

"Then help me set this up."

 ** _…_**

After two stalemates, both players decided to pack up for the night.

Joel sat back for a moment as Matthew put away his pieces and stood.

As Joel was putting away the rest of his own pieces, he saw Matthew pacing the perimeter of the camp, kicking leaves and sticks along the edges. Upon stopping, the young man had successfully created a large sound trap around the camp.

A minute later, Joel glanced up again.

Matthew was facing Ellie, his back turned to Joel.

When Matthew spoke, it was almost to himself. "I'm hurting her by bringing her back to Boston."

Joel stood, walked up to Matthew, and also gazed at Ellie. She was fast asleep, her chest rising and falling rhythmically.

"I used to think that," Joel said. He put a hand on Matthew's shoulder for a brief moment. "I think you're helping her. You should get some sleep too. Tomorrow's going to be a long day."

Matthew fell asleep a short time later.

The campsite was quiet.

Joel looked at his young companions.

Both we're now relaxed and comfortable.

Joel looked at the ground again and saw that one of the black knights from the chess board had been left on the ground. Joel picked it up and examined it for a moment.

There was a rustling in the bushes a short distance from the camp.

Joel jumped, thinking that he had heard a twig snap. A squirrel ran past a second later.

Joel let out a breath of relief and walked the perimeter of the camp, examining the sound trap. _The kid's good at making these._

Joel shook his head, assured that there was no danger and laid down next to Ellie, tucking the knight into his pocket.

He didn't fall sleep for some time.

 ** _…_**

Matthew opened his eyes and sat up.

It was still night. He glanced around to see Joel and Ellie fast asleep.

Ellie was shivering slightly.

Matthew grabbed a small towel out of his backpack and put it over her shoulders before standing. He walked up the hill and gazed at Boston.

It looked like a dead city aside from the occasional military spotlight.

Matthew took another deep breath. He stood there for long time, gazing at the city.

 ** _…_**

Joel opened his eyes and saw Matthew standing at the top of the hill.

Joel shifted his gaze to Ellie, seeing the towel around her shoulders.

Joel reached over and moved Ellie's ponytail away from her eyes before returning his gaze to the boy, still holding the knight piece in his pocket.

Matthew turned and walked down the hill, eventually lying down next to Ellie. His hand reached out and grasped hers.

Joel forced himself to look away. His grip on the knight piece loosened. He fell asleep a short time later.


	81. Chapter 81

_The unseen figure climbed the stairs to the roof the building. It walked to the edge of the roof and looked down with unseen eyes._

 _The street below was just an empty space._

 _The unseen figure was surrounded by an environment of all black save for the grey stone floor below its feet._

 _The unseen figure attempted to look upon its own body, only to find it didn't have one._

 _On the street below, a new figure materialized. It was a blond girl, about the age of twelve. She was wearing a striped blue and white sports shirt. In the center was the number fourteen. The figure wore matching striped pants and white shoes._

 _The girl also wore a necklace made of black string with brown and white beads. A cross dangled from the center of the beads. A chain link held the necklace together at the top._

 _The girl playfully kicked around a soccer ball. She looked up and kicked the soccer ball toward the unseen figure. The unseen figure moved back as the ball landed on the roof a foot away it._

 _Suddenly, the girl was right in front of the unseen figure. She simply smiled and kicked the ball again. It went through the area where the unseen figure's legs should have been._

 _The unseen figure stayed where it was, unsure of what to do next._

 _The girl took a step forward but stopped short as a giraffe materialized. It walked toward them, its head looming over the girl and the unseen figure._

 _The unseen figure stepped forward as its right arm and hand materialized out of the darkness. The hand reached for the giraffe and touched the side of its face._

 _The giraffe turned. Its entire body was covered in fungal growth and bite marks. Its eyes glowed red._

 _The unseen figure looked down at its own arm and saw a bite. The bite on its arm resembled the fresh bites on the giraffe._

 _As the girl watched, the unseen figure reached out with its arm again and touched the giraffe on its side. The bites and fungus around the hand disappeared and the unseen figure pulled the arm back._

 _The moment the contact was lost, fungus regrew and leapt toward the unseen figure. The fungal growth wrapped itself around the unseen figure's arm and tried to bring it back toward the giraffe._

 _The girl reached out and gently grabbed the unseen figure's hand. The fungus disappeared. The girl didn't let go of the unseen figure's hand. She traced the bite on the unseen figure's arm with her own fingers before firmly pressing a hand down on the bite._

 _When the girl removed her hand, the bite was gone._

 _The girl smiled lovingly and grabbed the unseen figure's arm, gently guiding the hand toward the giraffe. The moment the hand touched the giraffe, the fungus and bites disappeared from its head to its tail. Its fur began to glow and golden light engulfed their surroundings._

 _As golden waves washed over the dark world, the stone ground began to turn green, and grass started to grow. Rusted and broken buildings materialized. The golden waves moved over the buildings and the structures started to shine brightly. Windows were instantly repaired. Rust and dirt disappeared._

 _The unseen figure watched in wonder as the golden energy moved around the girl and then surrounded the unseen figure itself. The golden energy then rose into the sky and exploded outward._

 _Now, their surroundings looked completely different. There was a blue sky and a bright sun that reflected off hundreds of surfaces. Trees, houses, cars, oceans, and people materialized._

 _Men. Women. Children._

 _They all walked about their day as if they had existed for thousands of years._

 _The unseen figure stood frozen in shock and exhilaration._

 _Then unseen figure's body began to materialize._

 _The giraffe walked away, its fur bright as ever._

 _The girl picked up her soccer ball and threw it down to a group of kids on the street below. She turned back to the now fully materialized figure._

 _The girl grabbed the figure's other arm with one hand. With the other, she pulled off her necklace and placed it into the figure's hand._

 _The figure looked at the girl._

 _The girl smiled and gently closed the figure's hand around the necklace._

The dream ended. Ellie slowly opened her eyes.


	82. Chapter 82

Ellie sat up and saw Matthew and Joel still asleep. She extracted her hand from Matthew's and grabbed her backpack.

The birds began to chirp and sun started to filter through the trees.

Ellie stretched, walked to the top of the hill, and sat against a tree. She was oddly prepared to wait until the evening, when she, Matthew, and Joel would be entering Boston.

Ellie grabbed her backpack, opened the third zipper, and extracted Sarah's necklace.

A bunny ran past Ellie.

"Hey, little guy," Ellie said softly.

The bunny disappeared into the brush.

Ellie looked down and stared at the necklace for a time as a tear rolled down her face. She cradled the necklace in her hands for a few more seconds before slowly putting it around her neck.

After a few seconds, Ellie wiped the tear away and nodded to herself. With a sigh, she pulled out her ponytail and let her long hair flow freely in the fall wind. It finally settled, the tips of her locks resting just below her shoulder blades.

Ellie sighed and closed her eyes as she absentmindedly opened the zippers on her backpack. She was brought back to reality as her finger touched one of the many Firefly pendants that hadn't yet been used to make arrows.

Ellie took out pendant and threw it around her neck. The metal felt heavy against her skin.

After a few seconds, Ellie took the pendant off and set it aside. It clanged softly against a rock on the ground.

Ellie stared at the pendant for a moment, thinking. Then she shrugged. "This is so dumb… But… why not."

 ** _…_**

Joel awoke a short time later to a ripping sound. He stood and searched for the source, but the sound had stopped.

A short time later, Ellie descended the hill. He raised his eyebrows as he saw Ellie's new look.

Ellie saw him and blushed slightly. "It's nothing," she said sheepishly.

As Ellie attempted to walk past, Joel stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. He softly brushed her hair back, revealing the necklace.

Ellie looked down.

Joel traced the necklace with his fingers. "You look beautiful," he said.

Ellie's face started to glow red as she looked at him.

Joel turned as Matthew woke up.

Ellie smiled quickly before walking toward Matthew.

Joel turned and started rummaging through his backpack for food.

 ** _…_**

Matthew stretched, rubbed his eyes, and did a double-take when he saw Ellie. Then he proceeded to put his hair up in a ponytail.

"How do I look?" Ellie asked.

Matthew reached out and gently lifted the new necklace around Ellie's neck. "Where'd you get this?" he asked.

Ellie grabbed his hand and pushed it away slightly. "Joel gave it to me."

"I never thought I'd see you wear a cross," Matthew said, lowering his hand.

"It's just a necklace, Matthew."

They returned to Joel, who passed Ellie some canned pears.

Ellie pried the can open with her knife, pulled out one of the pears, and handed another to Matthew. "Are you nervous?" she asked. "About tonight, I mean?"

"I have you two," Matthew said, swallowing a pear. "So I'm a lot less nervous than I could be, I guess."

"Matthew, are you sure you want to do this?" Ellie asked, lowering her voice. "I mean, I know Riley is Infected, but she's still… she was your sister."

"Look, I know what I'm here to do. I've been preparing for it for years," Matthew said firmly. He took a deep breath. "Ellie, I know you're here to say goodbye. I can respect that. But I'm here to give her peace. Please… don't try to stop me."

"I'm not going to stop you, Matthew," Ellie said softly. "Just… just don't expect me to watch."

 ** _…_**

The trio spent the majority of the day in silence, conserving as much energy as they could. They all knew that they wouldn't be able to properly rest until early next morning.

Each of them had walked to the top of the hill to observe the Wall and each of them had come back in deep thought.

They waited as the minutes eventually dragged into hours. The sun rose high and eventually began to dip in the sky.

As they ate dinner, Joel took out a map of the Boston Quarantine Zone that Ellie had 'borrowed' from Joel and Tess shortly before leaving three years before. Joel laid the map on the ground, using sticks and stones to flatten the paper out. He placed the iPad beside it.

"After we're in," Joel said after going over their route into the zone. "We should make our way to this building. It's as close to the mall as we can get."

"Is that one of your old smuggling tunnels?" Ellie asked.

"No," Joel said, shaking his head. "It's more like storage. It's where we kept some of the stuff that Bill got us if he had to meet on that side of the city."

"That'll be useful if the supplies are still there," Matthew said.

"This is your deal," Joel said, looking at Matthew. "Any problems?"

"No, sir. This is where you two came from. I'd be an idiot not to listen," Matthew said. "When do we leave?"

"We have an hour."

 ** _…_**

Matthew found himself pacing at the top of the hill overlooking the Wall. He turned and noticed Joel using what supplies they had gathered to create a nail bomb, a Molotov, and a smoke bomb.

Ellie joined Matthew and stared at the Wall.

Matthew finally stopped pacing and looked at her. "Ellie."

Ellie looked at him.

"I um…" Matthew smiled sheepishly. "That look suits you."

"That wasn't what you were going to say," Ellie said with a laugh. "But thanks anyway."

Matthew turned to the camp where Joel was calmly putting the supplies back in their backpacks.

"I wish I was that calm," Matthew said to himself.

"He's not calm," Ellie said. She joined Matthew, standing close. "He's just good at hiding it."

Ellie put a hand on Matthew's shoulder.

Matthew relaxed slightly.

Ellie let go. "Do you believe in fate?" she asked.

Matthew turned in surprise. "What?"

"You heard me. Do you believe in fate?" Ellie repeated, backing up and starting to play with her fingers.

"Where did that question come from?" Matthew asked in amusement.

Ellie stopped fidgeting. "The book you gave me mentioned it. You're the only person I feel I can ask about this," she said quietly. "There's been so much shit in my life that's happened…"

Matthew looked at her, still confused.

Ellie lifted her sleeve exposing her bite. "I was born with this immunity," she said. Matthew could hear a small amount of sadness in her voice as Ellie continued. "And my mother was best friends with the leader of the Fireflies. The Fireflies were like, the only people still looking for a cure. Then I met you. My best friend's brother. And in the end, we all ended up back here?"

"So, you're asking me if I think everything happens for a reason?" Matthew asked, folding his arms.

Ellie looked away and didn't say anything.

Matthew put a hand on her shoulder. "Sorry. Obviously, I struck a chord there."

"I don't care for that phrase," Ellie admitted darkly.

After a moment of silence, Matthew sighed. "I read a poem a few years back. It said that everyone meets for a season…" Matthew looked into Ellie's eyes and removed Riley's Firefly pendant. "A reason…" Matthew placed the pendant around Ellie's neck. It rested next to Sarah's necklace. "Or a lifetime," he completed.

Ellie looked away thoughtfully as she held onto both the pendant and the necklace. Her eyes rested on Joel for a moment.

The older man was still loading their backpacks.

Ellie turned back to Matthew. "Poetry?" she said with an amused look. "Doesn't really seem your style, Matthew."

"Yeah, well I was stuck somewhere once and that was all there was to read," Matthew said with a shrug. "Anyway, I've never agreed that you can only meet someone for a season, a reason, or a lifetime. I've always figured there are combinations of the three."

Ellie held the pendant and Sarah's necklace in her hand. She smiled and looked at Matthew. "What's the reason you met me?" she asked.

"I don't know. I never really thought about it," Matthew replied. He shrugged again. "But I probably wouldn't be here without you and Joel."

Ellie shoved Matthew playfully. "Sap."

"You started it," Matthew replied, giving her a small push. "With all your nostalgia."

 ** _…_**

Joel finished putting the supplies away and glanced at the hill. He saw Ellie grab Matthew's hand.

 ** _…_**

"Listen…" Ellie said. A few seconds later, she blushed and looked away when she realized she didn't know what to say.

Matthew nodded. "I know."

Ellie leaned up and kissed him on the cheek.

 ** _…_**

Joel forced himself to turn away. When he turned back, Matthew and Ellie's hands were intertwined as tightly as ever.

In that moment, Joel knew. _Ellie's feelings for the boy will never change. The kid will never hurt her. After today, there'll be no halfway. We'll all have to make a choice._

Joel rubbed his forehead, fighting back tears.

 _I have to let her go._

Out of anger, Joel kicked over what was left of the fire from the previous night.

Ellie and Matthew descended the hill and stopped in front of Joel.

Joel looked at the pair. "I need to talk to you," he said to both of them.

Ellie and Matthew waited patiently.

Joel took a deep breath. "Look, after today we all know that a decision will have to be made."

Joel's gaze moved between the two young adults in front of him. He swallowed.

Neither Ellie nor Matthew said a word.

Joel looked at Ellie. "I want you to come home," he said.

Ellie looked away.

Joel placed a hand on her shoulder, regaining her attention. He dropped his hand. "But I can't take this choice away from you."

Ellie looked up at him. The emotion she felt was evident on her features.

Joel looked away for a moment and sniffed. He took a step back and spoke to both of them again. "So, here's how this is going to pan out," he said. "If you choose to stay out here together… then I won't fight you."

Ellie opened her mouth as if to say something but closed it.

Tears started forming in Joel's eyes. He rubbed his nose and returned his gaze to Matthew and Ellie. He continued speaking before he could stop himself. "If you want me to stay with you, I will. If not…" Joel wiped away a tear that rolled down his face. _This is the second hardest thing I've ever had to do._

Joel took another deep, shuddering breath.

Ellie turned away, seemingly attempting to gain her own composure.

Matthew stood still, his expression unreadable.

Joel waited another few seconds before speaking. "Both of you have a place in Jackson," he said, looking away again.

There was silence for a full ten seconds.

Ellie took a deep breath of her own and placed a hand on Joel's shoulder.

Joel looked Ellie in the eye.

Ellie gave him a small smile. "Let's just get through tonight."


	83. Chapter 83

Joel, Matthew, and Ellie deposited their personal items behind the sewage grate Matthew had found as the sun began to set. Five minutes later, they made their way to the Wall.

They were fifteen feet away when they ducked down behind an overturned semi and peeked around the edge. There was a guard walking back and forth along the Wall, keeping an eye on the perimeter.

Joel glanced at the iPad that was now at half charge. He looked at the Wall, then back at his two companions.

Ellie and Matthew both looked focused and determined.

"Okay," Joel began. "It looks like they haven't changed their routes. The shift change has started. We have about five minutes before that Wall is full of soldiers. We just gotta find that ladder."

Ellie glanced along the Wall and pointed at a section near the guard. "Fuck," she whispered. "They found it. It's on top of the Wall."

Matthew looked at the ladder and the scanned the lower section of the Wall. There was a large, man-sized hole in the side of a small building, likely created by rotting wood and desperate refugees as well as animals looking for shelter.

Matthew pointed and placed a finger to his lips. He glanced at the guard on the Wall and saw that he was walking in the opposite direction.

Matthew quickly moved to an overturned car and saw clearly into the hole. _Dammit._ He returned to Joel and Ellie half a minute later. "We can't get in that way," he said, disappointed. "Spores."

Ellie looked at the ladder and then at the hole in the Wall. "I'll be back," she said, setting down her bow. "Keep me covered."

"Ellie, wait—" Joel tried to reach for her but was too slow.

Ellie ran toward the hole.

Matthew watched her for a moment, and returned his gaze to the guard on the Wall. "I was just going to ask for your gas mask, sir."

 ** _…_**

Ellie reached the hole and walked in, ignoring the spores and the body emitting them.

On the other side was a boarded-up window and door.

Ellie looked out the window and saw that it led to the street beyond the Wall. She held her breath and pulled at a board which came off easily due to years of rotting.

Ellie waited between each board to make sure nobody had heard her or was coming to investigate. When the boards were removed, she attempted to open the window but found it locked.

Ellie grabbed a board and held her breath before smashing the window.

 ** _…_**

Joel looked at the Wall and saw the guard on the walking toward the ladder, looking around suspiciously.

Joel grabbed his gun from his belt. He looked at Matthew to find that the young man was gone.

Joel looked around.

His young companion was now three cars away, holding a broken rear-view mirror in his hand. The young man threw it as hard as he could. The mirror hit the opposite side of the Wall.

The guard quickly turned and ran toward the sound.

Joel let out a breath of relief.

Fifteen seconds later, the ladder hit the guard.

Joel saw a flash of red hair disappearing on the other side of the Wall. He quickly ran forward and grabbed the ladder, setting it up.

Joel looked at Matthew.

Matthew nodded and grabbed his crossbow, scanning the Wall for potential threats.

Joel climbed up the metal ladder and drew his weapon again, keeping an eye on the soldiers that were gathering at the far end of the Wall. _C'mon kid._

Matthew began climbing the ladder a few seconds later. When Matthew was at the top, they quickly replaced the ladder on the Wall and jumped down.

They met up with Ellie across the street, inside an abandoned building.

Joel handed the iPad to Matthew, who placed it in his backpack.

Ellie let out a breath of relief. "Well, that went well."

Matthew chuckled.

Joel simply looked out the window.

A minute later, the Wall was filled with guards. Nobody seemed any the wiser.

"We have to move quickly," Joel said, looking at his companions. "Don't talk to anybody and don't look anyone in the eye."

 ** _…_**

Damion had waited until the trio had disappeared before making way toward the hole the girl had used.

The hole led to a small room under the Wall. It was filled with spores. But spores had never affected him. Damion saw that the girl had climbed through a broken window that led inside the zone.

Damion hopped through the window.

A soldier stood on the other side, his gun held inches away from Damion's face.

The soldier opened his mouth to speak.

Damion quickly grabbed the man's arm and punched him in the throat. The soldier bent forward, gasping for breath. Damion wrapped his hand around the man's neck and tugged sideways. The soldier fell to the ground.

Damion grabbed the soldier's pistol, walkie-talkie, and CBI scanner before pushing the man through the broken window and out of sight.

"Thanks, soldier," Damion spat as he scanned his own neck.

The device beeped and concluded that he was infected.

Damion left the readout on the screen and dropped it in corner and out of sight.

 ** _…_**

Ellie, Joel, and Matthew turned another corner and entered the slums as the sun set.

People of all ages lined the street. It was eerily silent as the trio continued onward.

It only took Ellie a moment to realize that there were no trading stalls in sight. She had heard of the slums during her days in the orphanage. There had always been people bartering with animals, ration cards, and other items.

As the group proceeded, everyone eyed them hungrily. Ellie instinctively moved closer to Joel, who was walking between her and Matthew, his hand lingering on the gun in his belt.

A little girl detached herself from a group down the street and ran up to Matthew, cupping her hands.

Matthew gave her a small smile and reached into his pocket.

Along the street, people began to stand, eyeing the three travelers with renewed interest.

Ellie quickly stepped behind Joel and grabbed Matthew's hand, tugging it out of his pocket and intertwining it with her own. She held it tightly and didn't allow Matthew to move.

Matthew shot her a quick look of confusion. He glanced around and saw that people were watching him closely. It took him a moment to understand what had happened. He nodded his thanks to Ellie as the little girl hunched her shoulders and moved away.

Joel grabbed Ellie's shoulder and guided them into a nearby building. He closed the door behind him.

They were in a small apartment building. The hallway was lit by small candles. The smell of mold was in the air.

Joel let out a breath. "It's worse now than it was before."

Matthew let go of Ellie's hand. "Sorry," he said.

"It's fine. I wasn't expecting this either," Ellie replied. She looked at Joel. "Where are we heading?"

Joel pointed forward. "This building opens up on the next street. It's about a mile away from the Military Preparatory School. It's also near the safehouse Tess and I used to—" Joel stopped talking as they heard voices coming from inside the apartments.

Ellie glanced behind them. The door to the apartment opened and closed as someone exited the building. After the person had disappeared, Ellie began to lead the way through the apartment complex.

A door directly in front of Ellie opened. A tall man with a pale face and a bushy beard stepped out. There was a large bottle of alcohol in the man's hand.

Ellie took a small step back and wrinkled her nose. _Great. A drunk._

The man's speech slurred as he spoke. "You wantses an escort throughs the buidling?" the man asked. He looked at Ellie as if she was a piece of property.

Joel took a step forward. "Move on," he said firmly to the man. His hand lingered by the gun in his belt.

If the drunk man noticed, he didn't care. "Gives me five minuteses with her," he slurred as he took another step toward Ellie. "And I'll gives you all the informations you wants."

The man reached for Ellie's chest.

Ellie's knife was out in a flash. The blade extended and was pointed toward the man's groin. In addition, a pistol and crossbow were pointed straight at his chest.

Ellie took a step forward. "You really want five minutes?" she asked.

The drunk man simply blinked.

Suddenly, he was grabbed from behind and swung around. The bottle was grabbed out of his hand. His left knee was kicked in. A fist cracked his nose open. The drunk hit the ground hard and grunted as three more punches connected with his face.

"Jesus, Hank!" his attacker exclaimed. "This is the third time this week!"

The attacker reached down, grabbed the drunk man's right arm and twisted it, dislocating his shoulder. The drunk howled in pain.

Ellie and Matthew glanced at each other in surprise.

Joel kept his eyes trained on the new arrival, who gave them a quick glance before turning to one of the men that had exited an apartment to investigate the commotion.

The drunk man's attacker had short, brown hair and a beard. He wore a pair of old shoes, ripped blue jeans, and a white sweater. He also wore a black baseball cap on his head.

"Take him to his room," the attacker said. "Don't let him out until I get back."

The attacker pointed at Joel and motioned for them to join him.

Ellie walked up next to Joel. "What the fuck was that?" she asked.

Joel held up a hand to silence her and they started to walk.

Matthew brought up the rear, his crossbow still held high. He kept an eye on every door in the hallway.

The man in the baseball cap stopped at an apartment door and knocked. The little boy who opened it wore a torn old cowboy hat, a white shirt, and blue jeans. The man in the baseball cap knelt and extended the alcohol to the boy.

Matthew lowered his crossbow. "Hey, what the hell—" He moved to confront the man before being stopped by Joel.

The man in the baseball cap turned and glared at Matthew. Then he turned to the boy and gave him a small smile. "Take this to your mom and tell her that the doctor down the hall will trade food for this, okay?" he said, speaking quietly.

The boy nodded sheepishly and reached for the bottle.

The man in the baseball cap held it out of his reach. "It's not for you to drink."

The boy took the bottle.

The man in the baseball cap pushed down on the boy's cowboy hat and gave him another small smile before closing the door.

Motioning for the trio to follow, the man in the baseball cap continued walking until they reached the other side of the apartment complex. He opened a door to another room and moved to the side, allowing Joel, Ellie, and Matthew to walk in before him.

The man in the baseball cap walked inside, closed the door, and turned to Joel. "What the hell are you doing here?" he asked the older man with genuine curiosity.

Joel glanced at Ellie and Matthew, who nodded, crossed the room to a table, and sat on top of it.

Joel spoke in a lowered voice. "I haven't seen you in a long time… Malick, was it?"

"That's right," the man said, his voice even. "I haven't seen you since the day you and Tess disappeared."

Joel reached his gun.

Across the room Matthew and Ellie held their weapons tightly.

Everyone waited to see Malick's reaction.

"What are you doing here?" Malick asked again. "And where is Tess?"

"She's dead," Joel said sharply. "Soldiers."

"Well," Malick said, moving away from the door. "It was bound to happen sooner or later in our line of work. Was it quick?"

Joel nodded without a word. He looked at Matthew and Ellie, who relaxed.

Ellie looked down at the floor.

"So why did you come back?" Malick grunted, sitting in a chair and motioning to one next to Joel.

Joel sat down and allowed himself to relax slightly. "We're just making our way through," he said calmly. "We need to do a supply run. Is the north tunnel still safe?"

Malick leaned back in his chair. "Depends. I've got some influence in the zone. You want pass through safely, you go through me," he explained. "What are your intentions?"

"We're just looking for somebody," Joel said, glancing at Ellie and Matthew. "We don't want any trouble… unless trouble finds us."

If Malick took offence to the threat, he didn't comment. He simply leaned forward. "I'm trying to protect these people. The military has all but abandoned them," he said so only Joel could hear. "If you make trouble inside the zone, I will kill you."

Joel sat back and didn't reply.

Malick leaned back as well and looked at the two youngsters at the table. His eye settled on Matthew. "Are you going to be trouble?" he asked the young man.

"I won't be the source," Matthew replied evenly.

Malick thought for a moment and nodded. "Let's go," he said, pulling down on his baseball cap.

Ellie stood. "Where?"

"The north tunnel."


	84. Chapter 84

Ellie, Joel, and Matthew followed as Malick led them through the streets of the Boston Quarantine Zone, steering them away from soldiers and into other apartment buildings.

Many people approached them but moved away when they saw Malick.

When they entered a fourth apartment, Ellie walked up next to Joel.

Matthew continued watching all doors that they passed.

Ellie tapped Joel's shoulder. "You sure we can trust this guy?" she asked in a lowered voice.

"I don't know," Joel said quietly with a shrug. "But if he wanted us dead, he could have led us into an ambush at any time."

Ellie rolled her eyes. "Hey, why are you helping us?" she asked Malick with an annoyed tone.

Malick stopped. He turned and looked at the three travelers, his eyes settling on Joel. "Tess was always good to me," he said. He continued to talk as they exited the building and began moving through back alleys. "I tried to steal from her when I was a kid. She didn't kill me."

"Old headache?" Joel asked, remembering Tess's description of Malick.

Malick didn't reply.

They crossed another empty street.

"What's with the lack of soldiers?" Joel asked.

Malick grimaced as they entered another apartment building. "After the Fireflies left, most of the soldiers thought they would be leaving too," he explained as they moved through the building. "As you can imagine, those that were left behind weren't too happy. Something about having to continue guarding the zone because it's on the oceans edge… Bullshit. They just don't have the resources to put the soldiers anywhere else."

"Same zone, different story," Joel commented.

Malick nodded. "The hundred or so that are left have made life bad for those in the slums. There were riots a year ago. Most of the soldiers are in the north part of the city where the riots were the worst, but they're spread thin. They've got guns and they're still guarding the ration depot. That's the only reason hell hasn't broken loose."

"What about you?" Joel asked.

"Well, I'm just trying to keep everything in control. There's a lot of elderly and kids around that need help," Malick said as he led them through a door and into another apartment. "We have guns too. But not enough. Not yet."

Malick opened a door into a small room occupied by one man. At Malick's request, the man left and closed the door behind him. Malick walked up to the opposite wall that was covered by a bookshelf with magazines, DVD's, cassettes, comics, and other objects that didn't belong.

"Now," Malick said, turning to the trio. "I can't let you go any further without getting something first. My men still need compensation for your escort."

"What did you have in mind?" Matthew asked.

"We need guns."

"Not happening," said Joel. He reached into his backpack and withdrew his gas mask. "How about this?" he asked.

Malick grabbed the gas mask and examined it. "That'll do," he replied simply. He motioned to the bookcase. "Help me with this."

Joel and Malick moved aside the bookcase to reveal a hole leading down to the sewers.

"This is where we part ways," Malick said. He looked at Joel. "I'll put the word out and none of my people will mess with you. After that, my debt is to Tess is paid."

Joel nodded and waved his young companions over to the hole.

On his way out of the room, Malick blocked Matthew's path and spoke softly. "I owe you nothing. You fuck with my people, I fuck with you."

"I'm just here to get in and get out," Matthew said firmly.

With a satisfied smirk, Malick walked to the door.

Ellie walked behind him. "Wait up," she said.

Malick turned and stood silently.

Ellie glanced back at Joel for a moment before turning back to Malick. "Do you do business with Bill? Big guy? Kind of an asshole?"

Malick seemed slightly surprised but nodded nonetheless.

Ellie walked over to the bookcase, sifted through the assorted objects, and grabbed a pair of broken handcuffs.

"Give him these," Ellie said, tossing Malick the handcuffs. "And tell him 'the little brat' says 'hi'."

Malick chuckled and pocketed the cuffs. "I'll give him the message."

 ** _…_**

Damion walked through the alleys of Boston, searching for the mall. He heard footsteps coming toward him and flattened himself against the wall.

When a group of soldiers had passed, he turned and saw a poster on the wall behind him.

The symbol of the Fireflies was spray-painted over it.

Damion looked closer, squinting in the darkness. It was an old FEDRA poster listing the addresses of all the "Restricted" areas that had been quarantined after Infected got in.

The mall, Liberty Gardens, was the fourth listing.

Damion thought for a moment. He grabbed the walkie-talkie he had taken from the soldier by the Wall.

Damion hesitated. _Not yet._

 ** _…_**

Joel opened the door to the apartment, glancing left and right. He lowered his gun and motioned his two companions inside.

"Not much left in here," Ellie commented, noting the empty shelves and desks.

Matthew walked in silently and leaned up against a wall.

Joel walked over to a two-foot vent in the wall, yanked it open, and pulled out a large, dust-covered box.

"Tess and I never used apartments without hiding spots," Joel said. He flipped the box over and unclasped the lid.

"Holy shit, Joel!" Ellie exclaimed as she peered inside.

Among other things, the box had several clips of nine-millimeter bullets and over twenty arrows.

"You didn't have this on you when I first met you," Ellie commented.

"Well," Joel said as he poured out the contents. "This wasn't exactly meant for us. But seeing as we're supposedly dead, we may as well help ourselves."

Joel looked over Ellie's shoulder at Matthew.

The young man was staring at the ground with a detached look on his face.

Joel grabbed a small case from the pile. "Hey, kid."

Matthew looked over and caught the box that Joel threw to him.

The young man opened the dusty box and found a razor and shaving cream inside. He nodded his thanks. The boy began to quickly put the cream on his face as the detached look returned.

Joel put a hand on Ellie's shoulder for a moment and rose. "You two can get this sorted out," he said motioning to the box. "I'm going to go to the roof and make sure the area is clear. You should try and get another couple hours of sleep."

"Why?" Ellie asked.

"Because I don't want to be running around the mall in complete darkness," Joel answered. "We'll head there a few hours before dawn."

Joel walked over to the balcony door on the side of the room and exited into the moonlit night.

 ** _…_**

Matthew finished shaving as Ellie separated the various items in the box and sorted them.

Matthew held the razor in his hand, staring blankly at the floor.

Ellie shook her head in annoyance, picked up a pebble off the ground, and threw it at Matthew. It bounced off his head and he turned toward her glaring.

"Oh, good," Ellie said, looking down with a small smile. "You're still alive."

Matthew chuckled despite himself and sat across from Ellie.

They started divvying up the arrows.

Ellie looked at Matthew as he continued to load his backpack. "You okay?" she asked.

"Yeah," Matthew answered. He zipped his backpack, leaving enough space to easily grab an arrow. "It's just that I feel out of control. I don't like it."

Ellie nodded in understanding and started packing up her own set of arrows. "I get it. Don't worry, we can do this. We may have to deal with a few Infected, but that's nothing we haven't handled before," she said confidently.

Matthew sat back.

Ellie zipped up her backpack and accidently nicked one of the feathers on an arrow. "Fuck," she said quietly, throwing the now worthless arrow aside.

Matthew reached over and gently closed the backpack around the remaining arrows. "Are _you_ okay," he asked in return.

Ellie took a deep breath. "Honestly," she said with sadness in her voice. "Honestly, I'm _too_ comfortable. The only time that I've felt in control is when I'm out here. I mean Jackson was safe, but…" Ellie's voice trailed off.

"You'd know more than I would," Matthew admitted. "I've never really felt in control."

Ellie was unsure what to say next. She sat down next to Matthew and grabbed his wrist, examining the bracelet he had received in Texas. "We're always in control of our actions, Matthew," she said after a few seconds. "But a single action should not define us. I know you blame yourself for Riley's death, but don't _ever_ think of yourself as a monster. That's not who you are."

Matthew smiled slightly. "There's something different about you today," he observed.

Ellie shrugged with a small smile of her own. "I'm still me," she said.

Matthew glanced at Ellie's new necklace. "I'll uh, I'll make you a deal," he said.

Ellie raised an eyebrow and waited for Matthew to continue.

Matthew took a deep breath. "I'll try to stop seeing myself as a monster if you try to stop seeing yourself going out as a martyr."

"I don't," Ellie argued. "Not anymore."

"Yes, you do. But like I said, there's something different about you today," Matthew insisted. He relaxed slightly and reached over, grabbing Ellie's hand. "You still have people who care about you. Let the world deal with its problems in its own time."

 ** _…_**

Joel stepped away from the rooftop vent as Ellie and Matthew's conversation ended. It hadn't been his intention to pry but he couldn't find it in himself to resist.

Joel wiped away a tear and walked to another vent. He grabbed the grate and yanked it off, retrieving the two items inside.

Joel reentered the apartment as Matthew pulled away from a kiss he planted on Ellie's cheek.

Joel ignored what he saw and extended his hands. In each hand, he held a 9MM pistol. "I don't know what we're going to be up against in that mall," he said quietly.

Matthew simply shook his head and looked away.

Ellie however, hesitated. She reached out and stopped, her hand lingering over one of the guns.

Joel held his breath, fearing that Ellie would welcome the weapon gladly as if it were an old friend.

Ellie grabbed one of the guns, quickly ejecting the clip and emptying the chamber of its bullet. She handed both to Joel. "Simple in and out, right?" she said calmly.

"That's right," Joel said, openly relieved. He emptied the second gun and stuck the spare clips and bullets into his pocket. "You should get some sleep."


	85. Chapter 85

The trio moved out three hours later.

Ellie listened as Joel explained that by the time they get into the mall, the early morning light would allow them to see without flashlights.

Matthew remained silent as he had for the last three hours.

Ellie led them to the orphanage using shortcuts that she had learned from Riley. All three were relieved to find that they wouldn't have to sneak around soldiers to get inside.

The building was in complete disrepair. The floors, walls, doors, and windows of the once well-kept building were broken, shattered, cracked, and splintered. The railings lining the stairs were splintered and filled with dirt. Doors were open and the floor was covered with objects left behind by the original inhabitants.

Joel and Matthew took a step back and allowed Ellie to lead the way. She pressed forward, not allowing any old memories to distract her.

As they reached the second floor, movement could be heard in the rooms beyond.

Joel drew his pistol but didn't raise it. "Most of the time, when these places close the down, the inhabitants are told to join the military or be homeless," he explained. The trio stopped speaking for a moment as they heard something clatter in the closest room. They slowly moved forward as Joel continued speaking. "Those who couldn't or wouldn't join up would stay to avoid winter and try to consolidate their food."

"How desperate can it get?" Ellie asked, already knowing the answer.

"Keep your eyes open," Joel grunted.

"It wouldn't surprise me if Corporal Dickhead said, 'fuck those kids' and ran for the hills," Ellie grumbled under her breath. She strolled forward with confidence and raised her voice. "We're just passing through! Stay the fuck out of our way!"

Joel simply shook his head and moved to catch up with her.

Matthew stayed behind and watched their flank, not letting his guard down.

Ellie stopped outside a slightly ajar door halfway down the hall. She took a deep breath and entered.

Like the rest of the orphanage, the room was trashed. Books, tapes, and pieces of paper littered the floor. Mice bitten clothing and bedsheets were thrown into a pile in the center of the room. There was an overturned desk with half open drawers as well as a broken chair with wheels against the wall. The closet to the right of the doorway was also empty save for a few scraps of paper.

It bore little resemblance to the room that Ellie had slept in over three years before.

Joel and Matthew entered behind her and stopped.

Joel looked around the room as if trying to imagine Ellie living in it before clearing his throat. "So, this was home?"

"If there was such a thing," Ellie replied as she began to sift through the pile of clothes and bedsheets in the middle of the room.

Matthew moved a binder aside with his foot.

Ellie glanced over and flipped the binder open, revealing a collage containing garden gnomes. Ellie resumed her search without an explanation.

Joel moved to the window, looking outside.

Ellie finally reached in between two sheets and found what she was looking for. She slowly extracted the square piece of paper and flipped it over.

It was an old picture of Riley and Ellie, taken before Riley had left the orphanage and became a Firefly. The picture depicted Ellie and Riley smiling for a camera held away from them by Riley's right hand. Ellie wore an old red t-shirt. She had one of her hands curled around the front of the shoulder strap on Riley's tank top. Her chin rested on Riley's shoulder. Both were smiling.

It was also the last thing Riley had touched in Ellie's room.

As Ellie looked at the picture, she forgot where and when she was. She felt happy. She felt as if Riley wasn't gone. When she returned to reality, Ellie had a powerful urge to tuck the picture away and keep it for herself.

The moment passed and Ellie slowly stood, turning to Matthew. "You should have this," she said extending the picture to him.

 ** _…_**

Matthew took the picture. He held it as if it would turn to dust at the slightest amount of pressure.

Matthew looked at the picture for a brief second. A wave of grief swept over him and he quickly handed it back. "I'm fine," he said, turning away. "You should keep your memories."

Ellie didn't move. "Matthew, I have enough memories."

They remained silent for another moment before Joel gently took the picture from Ellie's hand and placed it safely in an unused zipper of Matthew's backpack.

"Just trust her on this, kid," Joel said as he zipped the backpack shut. "You won't regret it."

Ellie watched the exchange in silence. She gave Joel a thankful nod and took a deep breath.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Ellie said. She reached under the bottom bunk of the bed and tugged out a bag of chips from between the mattress and a support board. She handed it to Matthew. "Here. Trust me. They're good."

Matthew quickly shoved the chips into a side pouch of his backpack. "Thanks."

Joel moved to the window again and looked through the bars as a military vehicle drove past. "We should go."

When they turned to leave, they found their path blocked by a frail boy about Ellie's age. The boy looked as if he hadn't eaten in months. He was glaring at Ellie.

"So it is you," the boy said. "Why come back here after you got Riley killed?"

Joel reached for Ellie.

Matthew gripped his crossbow.

Ellie brushed Joel's hand off and glared at the boy as she spoke. "Move the fuck out of our way, Tino."

Tino let out a sound that was a combination of a laugh and cough. "Oh, so you _do_ remember that Riley had other friends. How nice. That bitch seemed to forget too, considering she never visited _me_ in the middle of night," he spat. Tino walked into the room and sat off to the side, ignoring a death glare from Ellie. Tino looked at Matthew. "Who is this, your boyfriend?"

Joel moved passed them, glancing out the door.

"Riley's brother," Matthew replied as he moved toward the door as well. "We're leaving."

"Some brother you were," Tino grunted, letting out another laugh.

Ellie's hand curled into a fist.

Matthew gave her a look of warning.

Ellie forced herself to relax and she uncurled her fist.

Matthew continued out the door.

Tino reached for the chips in Matthew's backpack and found his head shoved into the wall to the right of the doorway.

Tino's nose cracked open on impact.

Ellie didn't remain in the room long enough to see him hit the ground.


	86. Chapter 86

John Damion waited in hiding near the front entrance to the mall. His prey never showed. He shook his head in frustration. _They must have found another way in._ He grabbed the walkie-talkie he had taken from the soldier.

 ** _…_**

"Who the fuck is this?" Hader snapped.

Captain Hader was well-respected and feared among what was left of the soldiers in the Boston Quarantine Zone. He was a large, clean-shaven African-American man who had built up his muscle and reputation by bringing about the end of the Fireflies by any means.

Hader was one of the many soldiers that command had ordered stay after the Fireflies left the zone. He remained even after some soldiers fled and was considered an easy pick as leader for those soldiers still residing in the zone.

Hader took off his gas mask as he exited the small room just inside the Wall, leaving the body of the dead soldier behind.

The voice on the walkie-talkie continued. "I hope you took my advice and wore a gas mask when you were looking for your friend. Now, I suggest you listen very carefully. I am infected. I am not alone. But why should I have to die and not everyone else. I'm going into the quarantined mall. And I'm going let out the Infected. If I have to die, so does everyone else. You know where to find me."

Hader lowered the walkie-talkie and looked at his second in command.

His second-in-command was a younger man with a pale face, glasses, and short blonde hair. He looked scared to say the least. "What do you think," he asked his commanding officer timidly.

Hader threw the walkie-talkie and gas mask in anger, shattering both against the side of a building. "He's not bluffing. Get the trucks ready and have all the soldiers in the area report to the North Side immediately. Order a squad to stay behind and guard the ration depot and give them a couple of assault rifles. We need to move now."

 ** _…_**

Ellie led Joel and Matthew along the same route she and Riley had previously used to get to the mall.

They reached a long, wide tunnel with sets of stairs, small platforms with gardens, and posters that lined the wall.

Ellie stopped for a moment beside a horse saddle and put her hand on it. Then she moved on without a word.

The trio stopped when they reached the end of the long tunnel. Their path was blocked by a fallen car and debris. There was a slightly ajar set of doors to the right.

Joel examined the fallen car for a moment and stood. "Well, we're not getting in this way."

"I know," Ellie said. "The car fell last time we were here. We used to just crawl under it."

Joel pointed at the car. "You went under that?" he asked admonishingly.

Ellie shrugged. "I was young."

There were several grunts from the next room.

Matthew moved toward the doors and peered inside. He looked at his companions, holding up three fingers. "Runners," he lipped.

Ellie and Joel joined Matthew.

 ** _…_**

Joel moved forward and tentatively opened the door.

The room beyond was an old Halloween shop. There were three aisles full of decorations and masks in the middle of the room. The surrounding walls were filled with statues, toys, and other decorations. Overhead, there were more signs and large tarps.

There was a Runner pacing the perimeter of the room. Another Runner stood still, staring at the ground and quietly shifting its body.

Joel watched as the pacing Runner moved to the other side of the room and turned its back. Joel silently entered the room, moving toward the standing Runner. He grabbed it and drew his knife, quickly shoving it through the Runner's head. He then moved toward the pacing runner.

 ** _…_**

Matthew crouched and entered the room. He moved to the left and saw the third runner standing in the middle aisle. Joel was unknowingly moving into its line of sight.

Matthew quickly moved passed the aisle to the left wall and grabbed an object off the counter. He threw it into the right corner of the room. It clattered off the wall noisily.

The sound alerted the Runner in the aisle and sent it running toward the corner next to the entrance.

 ** _…_**

Joel quickly killed the pacing Runner, throwing it to the ground and using his foot to crush its skull.

 ** _…_**

Ellie crouched as the Runner Matthew had distracted stared at the floor, searching for the source of the sudden crash.

The Runner twitched and squealed loudly.

Ellie entered the room and jumped on the investigating Runner's back, stabbing it repeatedly with her knife. It fell to the ground, wheezing in pain. Ellie fell to the ground with it.

 ** _…_**

Joel moved toward the exit on the far-left side of the room. He opened the door and peered into the next area.

 ** _…_**

As Ellie rose from the ground, her leg bumped the object Matthew had thrown. She picked it up, intending to throw it out of the way. It rattled several times as it turned in her hand.

Ellie looked at the object.

It was a toy skull with small, loose eyes. On the bottom, it had a glass casing that contained a turning sphere with writing on all sides.

 _"Are we gonna die today?" Ellie asked the skull._

 _Shake. Shake. Shake._

 _Ellie looked at the skull's eyes. There was no change._

 _"Nothing," Ellie exclaimed. "What a jip."_

 _"You gotta turn it over, genius," Riley said from across the room._

 _Ellie turned the skull over and saw the sphere. "Oh," she said quietly before reading it. "'Seems dreadfully unlikely.' Ah. Whew! What a relief."_

Ellie's hands started to shake and she let go of the skull. It clattered to the ground. The sound made Ellie close her eyes. Her hands began to shake more.

All the memories of the best and worst night of Ellie's life came flooding back in painful detail. After the memories dissipated, there was only darkness that sound couldn't penetrate.

After what felt like an eternity, Ellie felt gentle pressure on either side of her face.

An outside voice attempted to penetrate the soundless void.

"Ellie…" Her name sounded as if it had been shouted under water. The voice grew louder. "Ellie, come back!"

Ellie slowly opened her eyes.

Matthew knelt before her. His hands gently held her head.

Ellie closed her eyes and took a deep, shuddering breath. "I'm good," she said.

"You don't have to keep going," Matthew said with a lowered voice. "You got me here."

Ellie shook her head. "I'm fine, Matthew," she said, standing quickly. "I just… I just wasn't expecting the skull. That stupid fucking skull."

"If you're sure…" Matthew said hesitantly.

Ellie took another deep breath as her hands stopped shaking. "I need to finish this."

Matthew nodded and let go as Joel reentered the room.

The older man gave Matthew a questioning look as Ellie reached for her fallen knife.

"We're fine," Matthew said. "She just bumped her head on the ground."

"We should move now," Joel said, leaving Ellie to wonder what he was thinking. "The next area's clear."

Ellie allowed Matthew to help her up and gave him an appreciative nod. By the time they reached the exit, her heart rate had slowed.

Matthew exited the Halloween shop behind Ellie. He closed the doors behind them and turned, joining Joel.

"This is new," Matthew commented.

They found themselves on the second story of the mall. The large circular, cement wrap-around walkway that they stood on once overlooked a large activity area at the mall's center. The walkaway itself was lined with boarded up shops and dirty glass windows.

As was the case years before hand, the walkway was only half accessible. Directly to their left and at the far end of the room, just beyond an exit, the floor had rotted away and fallen apart.

Matthew examined the floor below them. "Too far for a jump," he observed. He looked at Ellie. "Is there another way down?"

Ellie froze.

The room below was just as she remembered. The floors were almost completely covered with grass. Large display cases and pillars lined the room itself. Below the trio and to their left was an open set of double doors.

To the right of the double doors were two vehicles resting on separate platforms. Also on left, there was a small set of stairs leading to a photo booth that sat in the middle of an open area.

Past that, there was a large kitchen area that used to cook and sell food. Ellie looked further and saw the escalators that she and Riley had climbed to further explore the mall. The brush had continued to grow, almost completely covering the escalators.

Ellie's eyes finally rested upon the largest attraction in the room.

 ** _…_**

Joel looked at Ellie.

The young woman was standing on the edge of the walkway, looking down at the carousel and pulling her backpack tightly against her shoulders.

Joel walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder.

Ellie jumped at the contact and quickly moved to the far end of the room without a word.

The three froze as they heard voices in the Halloween shop behind them.

"We stop here," one of the voices said.

"Why?" asked another. "These things are dead. We can go a little further."

"Look, Captain Hader gave use orders to scout this area, not go commando and roam through an overrun mall. Now… shit."

"What?" asked the first soldier.

"These are fresh kills. We gotta call for backup."

Joel, Ellie, and Matthew moved away from the doors.

Joel looked at his two companions, then back at the door. He shook his head in frustration. "You two need to keep going," he said quietly. "More will be here soon."

Ellie looked at the door to the Halloween shop and opened her mouth to argue.

Joel put up a hand. "No," he said. "We don't know how many more there are. You know where to go. Get moving and hope they don't catch up to you."

"What are you going to do?" Matthew asked.

Joel grabbed his weapon. "What I've always done best," he said. "Go. Keep each other safe."

Ellie reached out a placed a hand on Joel's shoulder. "Endure and survive."

Joel nodded. "Endure and survive."

Ellie broke the contact and started moving toward the exit on the other end of the walkway.

Joel caught Matthew's eye and glanced toward Ellie.

Matthew nodded. "I'll keep her safe."

 ** _…_**

Joel took a deep breath and looked around. He crouched behind a few displays of pumpkin heads that sat next to the shop doors and leveled his weapon.

 ** _…_**

Matthew and Ellie began to cautiously move down the dark hallways in the service area of the mall. Ellie shook her flashlight briefly to get a little more light and continued leading the way.

 ** _…_**

Joel was waiting for thirty seconds before another three voices joined the conversation in the shop.

"We got reinforcements on is on their way. Captain Hader is sticking with us. He should be here in a minute or two. The rest are heading through the front doors."

"All this for a couple stragglers?" the second man asked.

"We caught one of them," the first man explained. "He said the front doors are where his partners are going to let out the Infected."

"Is he dead? The one we caught?"

"No, man. Hader's got his own plans for him. After this shit's done, he's going to make the man identify his buddy's bodies."

"I'd hate to be in the Hader's way when that happens."

Joel wondered who they were talking about but threw the thought aside.

"Let's set up the cords," one of the men said.

Joel cursed under his breath and ran to the large gap to the left of the doors. He quickly knelt and grabbed onto a piece of steel that once held together the cement floor that lay broken on the ground a few stories below. The metal groaned under his weight.

The door opened and Joel heard footsteps moving out on the large walkway. "Clear. Get the cords ready."

Joel pulled himself up slightly and saw that there were three soldiers on the walkway. They had their backs turned to Joel. Two of them were wrapping long pieces of rope tightly around what remained of the walkway's railings. The other was examining the floor below for potential threats.

Joel climbed up as quietly as he could and moved behind the man looking at the floor below. Joel reached up and grabbed the soldier around the neck. The man let out a loud gasp. As the other two solders turned, Joel quickly raised his weapon and put a bullet in each of their heads. He snapped his captive's neck as he heard more guards running into the shop behind him.

Joel shot off a few rounds, causing them to take cover. He grabbed one of the attached cords and quickly lowered himself down to the floor below, hitting the ground running.

More soldiers streamed onto the walkway and started firing down at him.

Joel ran toward the escalator attached to the other end of the walkway and used it as cover. He waited for a break in the gunfire and then shot off another three rounds up at the walkway. A soldier fell from the floor above and broke his neck on impact with the ground.

Joel quickly ran up the escalator and through the brittle brush that had grown over the last twenty-four years. The soldiers fired again as he reached the other side of the walkway.

A large glass display window shattered, giving Joel an escape route.

 ** _…_**

The old man disappeared through the glass window.

Captain Hader turned to the other men. He stood in the early morning light and began dividing the men into teams. In less than a minute, Hader was rappelling down the rope with a group of men. He ran up the escalator in pursuit of the old man.

Upon running through the shop attached to the broken glass window that the old man had escaped through, Hader found that he was in a shopping center of the mall. A large hallway stretched left and right. Each side of the hallway was broken up into individual shops. There was a sign to his left that pointed toward a food court.

Hader ordered a group of his men to take the left hallway. He took a group of eight down the right. No man questioned his orders. After a few minutes of walking, Hader ordered the eight soldiers to patrol the area.

Hader himself went on to scout for further threats. He had always enjoyed hunting alone.

 ** _…_**

Matthew and Ellie stopped at the bottom of the stairs as the gunfire ceased.

They looked at each other, nodded simultaneously, and started to make their way back up the first flight of stairs, despite Joel's orders.

They were halfway up when they heard multiple sets of boots coming down toward them. They quickly ran back down the stairs and through the hall. They dove into the first open room.

The room was once reserved for employees only. There was a couch to the right and the back wall was lined with a large service area containing a refrigerator, a stove, and a sink. In front of them were two desks.

Ellie and Matthew each took cover behind a desk and switched off their flashlights as more soldiers entered the hallway.

"You two, check in there," a soldier said. "The rest of you, on me. If you see any sign of the old man or the other two, shoot to kill."

Ellie and Matthew shared a look of relief knowing that Joel was still alive.

They crouched even lower as two soldiers entered the room.

A solder moved forward and crept around Matthew's desk first.

Matthew stood and quickly spun the soldier around, putting him in a chock hold. Ellie stood, jumped on her desk, and leapt onto the other soldier, her knife flashing.

Ellie and Matthew rose from the ground eight seconds later and they quietly moved through the door. The hallway ahead was clear. They each drew an arrow before moving forward.

Ellie glanced behind them to make sure there were no stragglers before turning to Matthew. "How the fuck do they know about us?" she asked.

"It doesn't matter," Matthew replied. "But it's going to be a pain in the ass running around with Infected _and_ soldiers, even in the morning light."

"Then we may as well turn on _all_ the lights," Ellie said, taking the lead again.


	87. Chapter 87

Ellie stood in the breaker box room.

Just down the hall, the soldiers were scouting out the large room with the carousel.

Ellie put her hand on the fuse switch, attempting to ignore the old memories that flooded her with emotion. _There's no turning back now._

Ellie pushed the switch up.

 ** _…_**

After reaching the end of the hallway, Joel entered a food court.

There were no Infected to be seen in the large room. A few small windows on the ceiling were blocked by overgrown plants on the outside of the building. The air smelled of long forgotten food that rats and other scavengers had not yet found.

Some tables and chairs were overturned while others were left standing. Along the left and right walls of the food court, there were various rundown kitchens and register areas.

Joel started to move along the right side toward a service area as soldiers entered the food court behind him. The doors at the far end were barricaded, leaving Joel at a dead end.

Joel vaulted over the counter. Just as his feet hit the ground on the other side, light flashed around him. Joel held his breath and listened.

"I thought I saw something," one of the soldiers said.

"I didn't see anything," another soldier argued.

Joel pulled out his gun as all the lights in the food court suddenly turned on. Joel ducked down as low as he could. The soldiers briefly abandoned their search and looked around them.

As quickly as the lights came on, the illumination disappeared. There was a series of large pops. The bulbs above them shattered as multiple fuses that hadn't been used in years were blown at the same time. Darkness overtook them once more.

There was a long silence.

"What the fuck was that?" one of the soldiers asked.

"It doesn't matter," another answered. "Spread out."

Joel placed his gun in his belt and drew his knife as he heard two sets of boots start walking. Joel moved back into the cooking area that looped behind the register area as two soldiers moved toward the cash registers.

"Check behind there," a soldier said.

One set of boots started moving in Joel's direction. The other soldier stood behind the register. Joel crept close the corner as the investigating soldier came into view. Joel reached up and wrapped his hand around the man's neck, stabbing downward with his knife.

Joel allowed the man to drop to the ground quietly. He dragged the body out of sight and moved toward the registers again as the second soldier turned toward him.

"Oh fu—" The soldier's exclamation was cut off as Joel put his knife through the man's neck.

It was too late.

Joel ducked down as two more flashlights lit up the area, illuminating him.

As bullets fired from the soldier's pistols slammed into the counter he used as cover, Joel reached into his backpack and grabbed out a nail bomb. He waited for a pause in the shooting and threw it as hard as he could toward a group of soldiers.

Joel looked up again as the nail bomb exploded, killing two soldiers in a shower of nails, scissors, and blood. The remaining six soldiers in the room instinctively backed away from the carnage before turning their weapons toward Joel once again.

 ** _…_**

Matthew and Ellie crept toward the doors to the large room they had seen from the walkway. Upon entering the room, they noticed that there was already a large group of soldiers searching the area.

Ellie and Matthew quickly took cover as two soldiers turned toward them. The teenagers each leapt on to one of two elevated platforms that held a vehicle with busted windows.

Ellie and Matthew both raised their weapons.

They stood, swung around the trucks, and shot their arrows, piercing the soldier's skulls. The other soldiers in the room turned as they heard the bodies hit the ground.

Matthew and Ellie ran to the side of the room and took cover behind two separate pillars near the vehicles, each reaching for another arrow.

Bullets pinged off the solid pillars as Matthew swore under his breath.

Ellie tried to swing around but took cover as a bullet collided with the pillar near her chest. "Fuck!" she exclaimed. "Now what?"

The bullets stopped hitting the pillars, but the gunfire didn't cease.

Matthew risked a look and saw soldiers running down the now working escalator, followed closely by Infected.

Matthew looked at Ellie across from him. He saw her take a deep breath and pull back on her bow, readying an arrow.

They heard the scream of a soldier as a Runner tore into his neck.

Matthew inched his way around the pillar and took cover again as one soldier continued to fire at him.

Ellie swung around the pillar and released her arrow, killing the soldier instantly.

Matthew and Ellie moved to the left side of the room. Ellie shot a soldier in the shoulder. A Runner leapt on the man and bit down. Matthew killed the Runner with an arrow of his own.

"Watch out!" Ellie screamed.

Matthew raised his arm as a Stalker leapt at him, biting down on his bark covered limb.

Ellie ran forward and stabbed it from behind. The Stalker turned toward Ellie, flailing its arms.

Matthew grabbed the Stalker and ran his blade through its chest and down to its waist. Ellie pushed the Stalker off the blade and they ran down two small steps and toward the dark photo booth.

The gunfire stopped as Matthew and Ellie reached level ground.

Matthew ran past the photo both and took cover behind a display shelf.

Ellie was close behind and ran behind an advertising sign for 'Panda Patrol' that was placed next to the display case.

"There she is!" a soldier shouted.

"Shoot her!"

Ellie dove face first to the ground as bullets ripped through the advertising sign. It wobbled and fell on top of her. Matthew grabbed her arm as she crawled out from under the sign.

Ellie joined Matthew behind the display shelf.

Matthew quickly put another arrow in his crossbow. "Any holes?" he asked, concerned.

Ellie shook her head in reply.

Matthew crawled around the other side of the shelf and put an arrow in one of the soldiers. The remaining soldier turned toward Matthew and shot in his direction. The gunfire ceased and they heard the now empty gun clatter to the ground.

The soldier ran toward Ellie's side of the display. The moment his boot came into view, Ellie plunged her knife through it. The soldier's scream of pain was ceased by Matthew's knife as it was embedded in the man's chest.

The moment of silence that followed was quickly broken by more shooting as Infected and soldiers came running down the escalators.

Matthew and Ellie ran forward.

Further to their left, in the direction of the escalators, was the food station with a large kitchen.

Ellie looked at Matthew.

Matthew nodded in return. "Go. I got you covered."

Ellie took off toward the food station.

Matthew shot a Clicker that got curious and took cover behind a nearby pillar.

 ** _…_**

Ellie reached the register area in front of the kitchen as a soldier dove over the counter, shooting a Runner. The Runner fell to the ground. Ellie was on the soldier and stabbing before he could move.

As Ellie rose to her feet, a Stalker came running around the counter. Ellie quickly jumped over a half wall and onto a stove as the Stalker grabbed her leg. Ellie's shoulders hit the stove and she turned, kicking the Stalker in the face before it could sink its teeth into her leg.

The Stalker recoiled, giving Ellie enough time to yank herself free. She turned and buried her knife in the Stalker's skull. With a painful gasp, it ceased its struggles.

 ** _…_**

Matthew ran out from behind his pillar and shot a Stalker creeping on the carousal.

Matthew started making his way to Ellie.

A nearby soldier pulled out his sidearm and shot a nearby Runner before turning toward Matthew.

Ellie put an arrow in the man's shoulder and the man's shot went wide.

Matthew barreled into the soldier, knife in hand. They tumbled over the small railing and onto the carousel. Matthew landed on top but was kicked in the chest before he could use his knife.

Matthew hit an elevated horse hard, causing him to drop the knife. He half rose and charged forward, knocking the soldier's sidearm away. The soldier kicked Matthew again and rose to his feet. Matthew rose as well.

 ** _…_**

Ellie locked in another arrow to assist. Four more Infected came charging down the escalators. Ellie shot an arrow, killing one of the Infected and moved further into the kitchen as another Runner charged her.

 ** _…_**

Joel took another two shots, killing the soldier closest to the counter. Joel ejected a second clip from his weapon. Four soldiers were still shooting in his direction.

There was a loud screeching noise as several Runners came barreling into the food court, stumbling over chairs and tables. Joel inserted another clip into is weapon. He leaned over the bullet riddled the surface he was using as cover and shot three times.

A Runner and another soldier went down.

Joel turned as a second Runner charged him. His gun discharged into the Runner's chest as it collided with him. Joel hit the ground with the Runner on top. The gun slid out of Joel's reach.

From his position, Joel saw two more Runners get shot by the remaining soldiers. Joel quickly extracted himself from beneath the Runner and charged into the nearest soldier.

As the man stumbled, Joel drew his knife, jammed it into the soldier's gut, and used him as a human shield against the other two soldiers that fired in his direction.

Joel threw his dead hostage into the nearest guard and charged the other. He punched the soldier in the nose, kicked in his knee, and turned him around. With a grunt, Joel shoved the soldier into a brick half-wall and smashed the man's skull on its surface.

Joel dropped the soldier as the man slumped to the ground. The other soldier threw off his dead comrade and rose with his pistol. Joel grabbed a chair from the ground and swung it horizontally.

The soldier went to the ground again.

Joel gripped the chair in both hands and slammed the back of it straight down into the soldier's neck, silencing him for good.

After a few seconds, Joel slumped into a chair, breathing heavily as he started to feel his age once again.

Joel only allowed himself ten seconds of stillness before gathering his weapon and a few extra clips from the dead soldiers. He exited the food court and ran down the hall.

 ** _…_**

Matthew was thrown into another horse by the large soldier and punched in the gut. The man charged forward and pinned Matthew against the horse. Matthew repeatedly punched the man in an attempt to get free.

 ** _…_**

Ellie unleashed another arrow, killing the fourth Runner. She looked up as the soldier and Matthew fell apart.

Ellie vaulted over the counter, grabbed another arrow, and ran to the edge of the carousel, aiming at the soldier.

Ellie heard rapid clicking noises to her right and turned to kill a Clicker charging toward her. When she looked up, the soldier had retrieved his gun and was turning toward Matthew.

Ellie quickly ran forward to a control panel attached to the carousel and slammed her hand on the green button.

 ** _…_**

The carousel jolted forward, causing both Matthew and the soldier to stumble.

Matthew recovered first and launched himself into the soldier, grabbing him by the head and repeatedly bashing his skull against a horse. The man finally slumped to the ground, a trickle of blood trailing from the horse above him.

Matthew got off the carousel, limping slightly, and grabbed his crossbow. He nodded at Ellie in thanks.

Ellie was staring blankly at the carousel, lost in thought.

Matthew looked behind her and saw another Runner coming from behind. He attached an arrow and shot it at the Runner, impaling it through the chest.

The sound of the arrow seemed to jolt Ellie awake and she moved toward escalator leading to the second floor.

They continued on without a word.

Matthew followed Ellie as they ran through an arcade and into another service area full of mannequins. There was a half open garage door to the right. To their left, at the other end of the room, there was a barricaded door.

Ellie led Matthew right.

It was silent as they knelt under the garage door.

They both jumped as they heard a loud crash behind them, followed by gunshots.

Ellie turned toward the sound.

Matthew quickly backed up and yanked Ellie out of the way as a Runner dove under the garage door next to them.

Ellie cursed loudly and kicked it in the head before Matthew stabbed the Runner with his knife. They heard more coming beyond the door.

Ellie grabbed Matthew and ran toward the other end of the room.

Matthew shot a Runner as Ellie moved aside a cart that was blocking the door. "It's open!" she shouted.

Matthew fired another arrow and ran through the doors.


	88. Chapter 88

Ellie and Matthew found themselves in yet another large room that was divided into four sections.

The section they were currently standing in held a lit stand with two mannequins and shelves of scattered clothes. To their right was a small register area.

Further ahead was a second section of the clothing store called 'Larson's'. It contained high shelves full of clothing, boots, and purses. Along the wall were two changing stalls followed by more shelves. Another register area was located in section's center.

At the far end of the room was the front entrance to the mall. The doors and windows were made of glass that provided the area with some extra light. Nearby, there were stone half walls that contained overgrown plants and weeds.

To their right was a large media area. Its walls were lined with televisions. Some expelled an eerie blue light, while others were black. In the middle of the area was a long glass display case that stood at waist height. The display held old phones and cameras. Shelves with speakers, screens, duffels, and other electronics surrounded the display case on three sides. A register area was placed near the wall.

Ellie's eyes lingered on the glass case for a moment before she was jolted back into action by the sound of soldiers breaking in using the front entrance.

As Ellie and Matthew looked beyond the two escalators in the center of the room that led to the upper floors of the mall, they could see soldiers moving through the newly shattered glass doors and under the security gates by the entrance.

Ellie turned as a Clicker clambered though the door behind them.

Ellie and Matthew stood back to back as they each shot an arrow in separate directions. Ellie's arrow brought down the Clicker as Matthew's arrow was embedded in the head of a soldier.

A set of loud, squealing roars came from the floor above. More soldiers came clambering through the front doors as Infected started falling from the escalators in the center of the room. More gunshots rang out as the large room dissolved into violent chaos.

Ellie shot another Runner coming through the door behind them. Matthew brought up his arm to block a set of teeth and stabbed a Runner with his knife. He swung his crossbow, staggering a second Runner before stabbing downward again, finishing the Infected off.

A bullet hit the mannequin to Matthew's left, causing it to topple over.

Ellie moved behind the register area as Matthew made his way to the 'Larson's' section of the clothing store. They exchanged a glance before soldiers and Infected began to flood in between them.

 ** _…_**

Matthew turned and jabbed the butt of his crossbow into a soldier's temple. The man went down in a heap.

 ** _…_**

Ellie sent off another arrow before retreating behind a shelf beside the door leading to the mannequin room. Another Stalker ran through the door and turned in her direction.

"Shit!" Ellie exclaimed. She shot it in the knee and ran forward with her knife.

After withdrawing the knife from the Stalker's head, she grabbed her bow as another Clicker came into view.

 ** _…_**

Damion calmly walked through the front doors of the mall, standing behind the majority of the soldiers.

The solider with glasses who had found Damion outside the mall held a shaking gun to the old man's head.

As Infected filled the large room around them, Damion felt the pressure of the gun disappear.

Damion made his move. He grabbed his captor's wrist and twisted it sideways before kicking in the man's knee. A moment later, a pair of glasses fell to the floor. There was a loud snap and the owner's body joined the glasses on the ground.

As Damion reached down to grasp the pistol, a Runner grabbed his hand and bit down. Damion growled in pain and swung around, throwing the Runner into a large stone plant holder before bashing in its head in with his knee.

Damion looked up again, as a soldier turned toward him.

Damion ducked down, leaving the gun behind.

The soldier was tackled to the ground by a Clicker from behind.

Damion calmly moved past the Clicker as the soldier let out a final scream of pain.

 ** _…_**

Joel was moving toward the distant, echoing sound of gunfire when eight soldiers turned the corner ahead of him. He shot off three rounds and dove into the nearest shop as a soldier fell to the ground.

The shop Joel found himself in was actually a small theater with a dusty screen that rested on a low stage at the far end of the room. There were eight rows of seats between the entrance and the stage.

Joel quickly rummaged through his backpack and grabbed out his last Molotov, lighting it as two soldiers came through the door. Joel threw the Molotov. It shattered in flames, igniting the soldiers. As they fell to the ground, screaming in agony, Joel quickly got to his feet and retreated toward the screen as the five remaining soldiers entered the room.

Joel was ready with a smoke bomb. He threw the pouch as the soldiers opened fire. The pouch hit the ground in the middle of the room. It exploded in a flash of sugar and dust, obscuring everyone's vision.

Joel shot another couple rounds into the smoke. He saw a soldier stumble through the smoke and fall over a row of seats. Joel crawled forward reached for the soldier's fallen assault rifle but pulled his hand back as a coughing soldier came staggering out of the smoke.

The soldier looked down and saw Joel below him.

As the soldier raised his weapon, Joel fired off a round, putting a bullet through the man's head at close range.

Joel reached forward and grabbed the assault rifle as quickly as he could. He continued crawling back toward the movie screen.

Joel climbed onto the stage and reached the right side of the screen as the smoke bomb's effects dissipated and the last three soldiers spotted him once again. Joel quickly brought up the assault rifle and emptied half the clip, bringing down one solider and wounding another.

Joel ran behind the screen and threw himself flat on the ground as a few rounds pierced the screen where he had been standing a second before.

Joel quickly switched off his flashlight as the gunfire stopped. He looked through the screen and saw lights movie slowly toward him on either side. The lights stopped for a moment as they reached both sides of the screen. Joel barreled through the bottom of the mice eaten screen in front of him, landing painfully on the floor beyond the low stage.

A second later, flashes from the soldier's weapons lit the area behind the screen. Joel rolled over and shot from side to side, his bullets tearing though the screen and the silhouetted bodies beyond.

Joel threw the empty assault rifle aside and drew his pistol, glancing around the room.

Nothing moved.

 ** _…_**

Captain Hader held his pistol an inch away from a Clicker's head and pulled the trigger before turning forward and emptying the rest of the clip into the group of five Runners.

Four of the Runners stumbled and fell to the ground, unmoving. The lead Runner fell to its knees. Hader kicked it to the ground and stomped its head in before throwing his empty weapon aside.

Hader heard gunfire in the hallway behind him. He crossed into a storage area. The only light came from a small window overhead. He stood in the corner a few feet from the door and waited, knowing that his prey would eventually come to him.

 ** _…_**

Ellie drew another arrow before sending it through the throat of a Stalker coming through the double doors. She turned again as a soldier came around the corner, his gun raised.

Ellie dove over the register counter for cover as a Clicker tackled the soldier from behind and tore into his neck. Ellie quickly rose to her feet and shot the Clicker in the head. She looked through the double doors as more Infected streamed into the room.

"Oh, fuck!" Ellie turned and ran toward the electronics area.

Ellie reached the shelf dividing the clothing and electronics areas and crouched in the corner. Another soldier with an assault rifle came around the opposite corner of the shelf shooting.

Ellie covered her ears as the three Infected chasing her fell in heap of blood and bullets. When the soldier turned toward Infected coming down the escalators, Ellie jumped on his back and stabbed him in the head three times.

As she went down, Ellie glimpsed an old man moving quickly from one aisle to the other. _Was that…_

The thought flew from Ellie's mind as a solider grabbed her around the neck from behind. Ellie bit down on his arm. The man dropped her with a scream of pain that was quickly silenced when Ellie turned and put her knife through his skull.

 ** _…_**

Matthew ducked down behind the neon 'Larson's' sign and saw Ellie crouch in the corner across the room. A soldier appeared between them and raised his weapon.

Matthew instinctively ducked as bullets few through the air, knocking over the 'L' and 'A' in the 'Larson's' sign. When the fire ceased, Matthew shot the soldier with his crossbow. A Runner, Clicker, and Stalker took the soldier's place, setting their sights on Matthew.

Matthew turned away and ran toward an alcove with a bench as two soldiers came around the corner in front of him. Matthew dove through a set of curtains and into a changing stall as the Infected and soldiers converged.

Matthew kept his head down and drew another arrow as the sound of gunfire and pained cries filled the small area outside of the room. When he emerged, only the Clicker remained, crawling on the ground.

Matthew put his knife through its skull before moving toward the register area. He turned and shot a Stalker before crouching by the register area of 'Larson's', gazing at the mall's entrance.

A soldier came through the door and ran straight into a Clicker.

Matthew moved forward to a dress rack and dispatched the Clicker with an arrow. He crouched again and moved as quickly as he could to the front doors.

It was now early morning. The area in front of the mall was bathed in sunlight. There were no soldiers outside.

Matthew couched and let out a breath of relief. _Almost over._ He turned again and saw a familiar figure moving toward Ellie. _Oh no…_

Matthew reached for another arrow and found he was completely out. "Shit!"

Matthew drew his knife and ran toward Ellie, who was still exchanging fire with soldiers in the television-lit electronics area.

 ** _…_**

Joel continued moving as gunfire continued in the distance, his fear for his companion's safety rising with every second.

Joel momentarily slowed as he reached a large storage area.

Around him were tables and boxes filled with product that had once been held for stocking the stores around the mall. There was an exit at the far end of the room.

A vending machine stood against the wall to his left. Beside it was a doorway. A dusty sign on the wall labeled it as a restricted area and that beyond the door was a set of stairs. There were also wires on the wall that led through the door, indicating that it once held the technical support offices for the mall itself.

Joel turned on his flashlight and moved toward the exit at the far end of the room.

Suddenly, a large figure slammed into him.

Joel hit the vending machine hard, causing it to rock back and forth. Joel attempted to raise his gun hand but the large figure that hit him grabbed it and tried to yank it away. The struggle for the gun moved in front of the door to the stairs.

The gun discharged and a bullet went into the ceiling.

The flashlight attached to Joel's shirt pocket illuminated his enemy's vest and lower body for a moment, revealing a large African-American man. The faded nametag on the soldier's uniform read 'Hader'.

Joel brought up his elbow and cracked Hader hard in the chin. The soldier's grip faltered and Joel yanked the gun away. Hader kicked Joel hard in the leg. Joel went down and tried to fire the gun, but it was kicked out of his grasp.

The gun slid out of reach, toward the vending machine.

Joel rose and ran for the gun. Hader charged into him from behind, sending both of them past the gun and through the doorway. Joel hit the guard rail near the stairs that led down into the tech office. His flashlight dropped, tumbling to ground one flight below. Hader wrapped his arm around Joel's neck.

"First you," Hader growled. "Then the other two."

Joel growled, placed both his feet against the guard rail, and kicked backwards. Both fighters went back through the doorway and to the ground in the storage area. As Hader reached for the fallen gun, Joel barreled into him and they went tumbling over a nearby table, scattering its contents.

 ** _…_**

Matthew was almost to Damion when a Runner ran into him from the left.

Matthew hit the ground hard and his knife slid out of reach toward a shelf containing speakers.

Matthew kicked the Runner off him and grabbed his crossbow, hefting it as a club.

 ** _…_**

Ellie fired two arrows in rapid succession.

Two Runners fell to the ground.

Ellie turned and found that she was standing next to the glass display case. Ellie had a flashing image of herself and Riley dancing on the case.

Another set of gunshots broke her out of her momentary daze. She looked up and saw gun flashes from the floor above, then heard the crackling of glass to her left.

Ellie turned as a hand shot out and clamped itself around her neck.

Ellie's bow hit the ground.

Ellie was slammed up against the glass case and all remaining breath was painfully driven out of her.

The hand tightened its grip.

Ellie opened her eyes and saw John Damion looking down on her.

A large cut on his cheek was stitched. There was a bleeding bite wound on his right hand.

Ellie attempted to reach for her knife but found her hand pinned to the glass.

Damion leaned close, his eyes burning with rage. "I don't blame you," he said through gritted teeth. "It's all _his_ fault. _He_ doesn't deserve a second chance."

Ellie's world started to go dark and all she could hear was Damion's breathing.

As Ellie's vision narrowed, Matthew bolted in from the left, wrapping his arms around Damion.

Matthew and Damion went to the ground as Ellie fell forward, gasping for breath. Her vision started to return. She looked up to see Matthew and Damion rising from the ground, still struggling.

Matthew grunted, threw Damion away from Ellie, and charged forward. He punched Damion in the head and attempted to kick him.

Damion caught the leg and yanked it toward him, sending Matthew to the ground.

Ellie grabbed her bow and drew an arrow, aiming at Damion. As she let the arrow loose, a Clicker staggered between them.

Ellie cursed breathlessly and charged forward stabbing it several times. Ellie picked up her bow as another batch of Infected and soldiers came charging down the escalator.

Ellie grabbed another arrow. _Stay alive, Matthew._ She turned toward the group of Infected and soldiers raging around them.

 ** _…_**

Joel charged into Hader again and sent them tumbling to the ground. He placed his hands around the soldier's neck.

Hader reached around on the floor and grabbed a box cutter, slashing Joel just above the right hip. Joel grunted in pain and his grip loosened. Hader brought up a leg and kicked Joel off.

Joel stood as Hader slashed again with the box cutter. Joel backed up a few steps toward the door to the stairs. The box cutter flashed again and Joel felt a searing pain across his chest. He staggered back another few steps.

Hader grinned and lunged again.

Joel grabbed the wrist and redirected it. The box cutter sliced painfully along his right side, just below his ribcage.

Joel grunted and twisted Hader's wrist. With an audible pop, the wrist broke.

The box cutter hit the ground.

Joel grabbed the back of Hader's head and slammed it repeatedly into the vending machine. Blood splattered on the plastic casing before Joel swung Hader around and threw him through the doorway.

Hader landed by the stairs, grunting in pain.

Joel charged through the doorway and punched Hader once, twice, three times, until the soldier went tumbling down the stairs.

Joel slumped, breathing heavily.

Something soft broke Hader's fall as he reached the bottom of the stairs. He slowly sat up, grabbed Joel's fallen flashlight from the ground, and shined it around.

It was only then that Hader and Joel saw the spores.

Thicker than dust, they floated through the air in front of Hader, stopping motionless halfway to the top of the stairs. Their source, a body slung over an old laptop, had started growing fungus that practically glued it in place.

The spores did not reach Joel.

Only Hader was caught in their poison.

Joel leaned against the railing and rose, looking down at the soldier.

Hader shined the light at Joel, laughed uneasily, and spoke with pain in his voice. "You really just going to leave me?" he asked smugly. "You're going to let me become one of them?"

"I think…" Joel said as he let go of the guard rail. "That's for you to decide."

Hader finally looked down. The soft landing was due to a pile of bodies. Each body was accompanied with a bullet lodged in their brains. He turned around and saw one more body leaning against a small desk. A revolver laid next to its decaying hand.

"Five bodies," Joel said from the top of the stairs. "One bullet left."

With that, Joel turned away. He heard frantic movement below him and looked down the stairs again, glimpsing Hader's arm swinging toward him.

Joel ducked as the gun went off.

After a few seconds, Joel looked up. There was a bullet hole in the wall behind him. He slowly turned and looked down at Hader.

Hader's eyes went wide as reality set in. "No!" he shouted. He tried to crawl up the stairs.

Joel moved outside the door.

Hader continued to shout. "No! Please! Don't let me become one of—"

Joel slammed the door shut as Hader reached the second to last step. Joel moved around the vending machine and shoved it with all of his strength, sending it tumbling down in front of the door.

Joel grabbed his first aid kit from his backpack and wrapped his wounds. He retrieved his pistol and walked away without looking back as Hader continued to pound on the door.

 ** _…_**

Matthew grunted as Damion rolled himself on top again and grabbed the young man's arm. He tugged the arm out of the way and punched with his other fist.

Matthew's head slammed painfully to the floor. Damion raised another fist and wrapped his other hand around Matthew's vest.

Matthew reached with his free hand and grabbed a piece of broken shelving, swinging it as hard as he could. The shelving hit Damion in the side of the head and sent him rolling off Matthew.

Damion rose from the ground, grabbing a dead soldier's modified, three rounds per clip, El Diablo pistol.

Matthew swung the shelf again and the gun flew from Damion's hand, landing on the glass display case behind the old man. Damion ducked under a second blow and charged into Matthew.

 ** _…_**

Ellie ducked as a bullet pinged off the shelf behind her.

The man who had taken the shot was tackled by a Clicker moments later.

Ellie shot the Clicker in the back and ducked down again. She reached behind her and felt only five arrows in her backpack. _How many more of these fuckers are there?_

Ellie turned to see Matthew and Damion rising from the ground once again. She grabbed another arrow and turned toward the chaos taking place at the center of the room next to the escalators.

 ** _…_**

Matthew ducked under a punch and attempted to uppercut his opponent.

Damion backed up and punched Matthew in the side of the head.

The force of the blow sent Matthew careening sideways into the corner section of the display case.

The glass shattered from the impact.

Damion strode forward as Matthew reached for glass on the ground. Damion grabbed Matthew again with his right hand and balled up his left fist. Matthew swung upward with the glass in his hand, ignoring the cut he created on his own palm.

The glass cut deep into Damion's right wrist, causing him to loosen his grip. The old man growled backhanded Matthew.

Matthew accidently dropped the glass as he hit the ground and crawled away, spotting his knife by a display shelf containing speakers. He grasped the weapon and stood slashing at Damion.

Damion backed away and grabbed a speaker, swinging it around. The speaker collided with Matthew's hand. The knife flew from his grasp again and landed on the glass display case in the center of the electronics section.

Damion raised the speaker again.

Matthew ran into Damion, grabbing him around the waist. Their battle brought them back into another display shelf, the speaker hitting the ground behind them. Matthew started to pummel Damion with punches anywhere that he could.

Damion brought up his arm to block one of the punches and kneed upward. Matthew backed up a step before taking a punch to the jaw that knocked him backwards into the glass display case.

The metal protectors on the end of each section took the impact, leaving the glass unscathed.

Damion punched Matthew again and again.

Matthew received a cut above his eye. He reached for the knife laying on the case to his left. Damion grabbed Matthew's arm and pushed the knife away with his other hand before pinning Matthew to the case.

Matthew saw Damion look at the other side of the media section where Ellie was stabbing a Runner.

Ellie yanked out her knife and grabbed an arrow.

Matthew looked over and spotted the gun on the display case a moment after Damion.

Damion grasped the gun as Matthew wrapped his hands around Damion's bleeding wrist, twisting it hard.

Damion screamed in pain and rage.

The gun dropped back onto the display case.

Damion rammed his elbow back into Matthew's cheek and wrapped his left hand around Matthew's neck.

The old man reached over Matthew and grabbed the fallen knife with his bleeding right hand. Matthew abandoned his attempts to free himself to grab the knife with both hands, stopping it centimeters away from his chest.

Damion once again set his eyes on Ellie. He released his grip on Matthew's neck and reached for the gun. Matthew reached one hand over and pushed the gun away again. With less resistance, the knife slid closer to Matthew's chest.

Matthew felt the knife pierce his shirt and come into contact with his skin. He winced in pain before grunting in exertion, pushing the knife away slightly.

Damion growled in frustration and put both hands on the knife again.

Matthew returned his free hand to the knife as their struggle continued. The knife slowly began to dip toward Matthew's chest again. Matthew knew he couldn't win this battle of strength. He let go of the knife with one hand and quickly punched Damion's cut wrist and then pressed his thumb in the wound.

Damion's pressure on the knife lessened as he tore his right hand away. Matthew reached into his pocket for the only weapon he had left. Damion saw the center punch and tightened his grip on the knife before using his left hand to pin Matthew's wrist to the glass.

Once again, Matthew was holding off the knife with one hand. He was barely able to keep the knife at bay, even with Damion's wounded wrist.

Matthew looked around desperately.

 ** _…_**

Joel skidded to a stop. The gunfire in the distance had ceased.

Joel listened closely. He had no idea where to go. "Dammit!" He ran through a door ahead of him, fearing the worst.

 ** _…_**

Matthew strained all his hand muscles and tore his left hand free. He tried to stab upward with the center punch. Damion grabbed Matthew's wrist again and slammed it on the glass. A tiny crack appeared on the transparent surface.

The center punch fell from Matthew's hand, landing just out of reach on the display case. Damion put his full weight on the knife, once again bringing the blade closer Matthew's chest. Matthew used his finger tips on his right hand to turn the center punch on the glass.

The knife blade began to pierce cloth.

Damion looked over and saw the gun once again within reach. He quickly released his pressure on the knife. Matthew attempted to fight back but Damion elbowed the young man's nose and slammed his left arm down on Matthew's right wrist, pinning his entire arm to the glass.

The resulting impact rolled the center punch closer to Matthew's pinned wrist, allowing him to grasp it. Damion pressed down on the knife in his right hand, continuing to use his left arm to keep Matthew's right hand pinned.

Damion grunted and leaned forward as the knife touched the young man's chest. Damion slowly placed the blade in his left hand and applied pressure, still pinning Matthew's right arm.

Matthew brought his left arm across his body to hold the knife at bay.

Matthew stole a glance at Ellie, who was busy using her knife to kill another Stalker.

With his right arm pinned and his left arm fending off the knife, Matthew could only watch as Damion reached for the gun with his free right hand and aimed the weapon at Ellie.

Damion looked at Matthew for a brief moment.

Matthew saw the intense satisfaction in his eyes.

As Damion looked back at Ellie, Matthew flipped the center punch in his hand and placed it against the glass. He pushed down as hard as he could with his thumb.

 ** _…_**

Ellie turned as the glass below Matthew shattered.

The sudden displacement of weight made the bullet from Damion's gun go off target, colliding with the shelf a centimeter from Ellie's head.

The knife met no resistance as it plunged deep into Matthew's right shoulder.

Matthew screamed in agony.

Ellie immediately hit the ground to dodge any follow up shots when something ran between her and Damion.

The Stalker tripped on her legs and fell forward.

Damion looked at Ellie and then his smoking gun. He grimaced and attempted to raise the weapon again.

 ** _…_**

Matthew grabbed an old camera from the display case with his left hand and swung it.

The camera hit Damion in the side of the head. Damion's gun dropped to the floor. Matthew rose as quickly as he could and grabbed the back of Damion's head.

Matthew grunted and rammed the old man's head through a glass pane, eliciting a scream of pain. Matthew kicked in the back of the older man's knee before Damion's head again and repeatedly slammed it against the glass.

 ** _…_**

Ellie watched as the Stalker quickly turned and saw her lying there.

"Shit!" Ellie grabbed her bow.

The Stalker lunged and swung its arms violently, knocking the bow from her grasp. Ellie tried to move as the Stalker grabbed her leg, its mouth opening wide. Ellie stabbed upward into its knee with her arrow. The Stalker fell on top of her and bit at air as Ellie leaned her face to the side.

Ellie reached into her pocket and grabbed her knife, jamming it as far as she could though the Stalker's skull.

The Stalker finally collapsed on top of her.

Ellie tried to retrieve her knife but couldn't get enough leverage. She attempted to push the Stalker off her. The Stalker budged only slightly.

"Fuck!" Ellie cried in frustration.

Ellie turned her body around and managed to get her knees under her.

 ** _…_**

Matthew was about to slam Damion's head down yet again when the older man elbowed Matthew's wounded shoulder.

Matthew let go with a cry of pain staggered backward into the shelf behind him.

Damion punched Matthew in the shoulder again before grabbing him and throwing him at the speaker display.

Matthew rose and attempted to throw a punch with his good hand. Damion caught the punch and used his other hand to grab Matthew's limp right arm before giving it a hard yank.

Matthew screamed in pain again as the knife wound was stretched.

Damion spun Matthew around again and threw him against what was left of the glass display case. The old man reached down and grabbed the knife from the ground. After a second, he lunged downward.

 ** _…_**

Ellie ran swung a piece of shelf horizontally as hard as she could at Damion.

The knife Damion held fell to the ground and slid out of sight.

Matthew moved out of the way.

Damion attempted to turn.

Ellie raised the shelf high over her head and slammed it down on his back.

Ellie repeated the process three times. With each hit, she let out a scream born from both desperation and rage.

Damion finally ceased his attempts to rise.

Ellie slammed the shelf down one last time.

Damion made no attempt to move. He simply used the glass display case to support his upper body.

The old man slowly looked over at Ellie and spoke with ragged breaths. " _He…_ doesn't deserve… a second chance," Damion said once again.

 ** _…_**

Matthew backed away, reached into his backpack, pulled out a bandage, and carefully wrapped it around his wounded shoulder. He winced in pain as the cloth came into contact with the wound and applied more pressure with each layer. Matthew used his teeth to separate the cloth from its roll.

There was a soft scraping sound.

When Matthew looked up, he saw Ellie walking toward Damion, holding Matthew's knife.

Matthew made no attempt to block her path.

 ** _…_**

Ellie stopped two steps away from Damion. "Everyone deserves a second chance," she said. She raised the knife high and lunged downward.

 ** _…_**

Joel continued to blindly run through the halls of the mall, hoping that he would find his companions soon.

 ** _…_**

Damion closed his eyes as the girl lunged. He felt no pain. The death that he had expected and sometimes longed for never came to pass.

Damion opened his eyes.

The girls hand was empty. The knife lay on the floor again where the she had dropped it.

The girl kicked the knife away and took another step forward. "Everyone deserves a second chance," she repeated. "Even you."

The girl turned away and yanked her own knife out of a nearby Stalker.

The girl stopped and hesitated a moment before walking back to Damion. "Stay away from my family," she snarled through gritted teeth.

The girl walked away without another word and handed one of her last two arrows to the young man. She didn't look back as she made her way to the double doors on the other side of the room.

The boy looked at Damion. They locked eyes for a few seconds.

The boy finally walked away, leaving Damion with the dead.


	89. Chapter 89

Ellie and Matthew reached the mannequin room and stopped.

Ellie examined the cut above Matthew's eye.

I'm good," he said, gently brushing her hand aside.

Together, they lifted the garage door.

In the distance, they could still hear the loud squealing of one last Infected.

Ellie stopped and turned to Matthew. "That's her," she said quietly. She put a hand on his shoulder. "You can still turn back."

Matthew placed the arrow Ellie had given him in his crossbow. "You don't have to come," he replied.

 ** _…_**

Joel reached a long hallway.

At the end of the corridor was a beam of light, indicating an exit. Halfway down, there was a doorway from which a loud squealing sound echoed down the hall.

Joel checked his gun and moved back into the darkness.

 ** _…_**

In the darkness, a figure stirred.

A piece of shelving fell to the ground.

An El Diablo handgun was grasped and lifted from the ground, its metal scrapping quietly on the floor.

Its clip was ejected and the chamber emptied, each providing one round apiece.

The clip was replaced and the bullet reinserted.

 ** _…_**

Ellie and Matthew jumped off a large scaffolding platform and landed in the area beyond without a word.

They moved by a restaurant and over a set of wooden barricades that had been knocked on their sides.

Ellie froze.

Everything looked the same as she and Riley had left it.

The spread of the Cordyceps Infection had left the room frozen in time.

The room had been under construction at the time of the outbreak. There was fallen scaffolding that once led outside. A set of boards bound together by rope laid in the middle of the room with a bucket on top of it. Long green plants grew from the cracks in the floor.

Ellie once again fought off many emotions. She looked at Matthew.

Matthew's eyes were fixed ahead of them.

It was then that Ellie saw the source of the sound.

Riley stood before them.

Ellie could recognize very little of her best friend. It had been three years since she had seen Riley.

Riley had entered the Stalker stage of the Cordyceps Infection. The larger part of the skin on her forehead had withered away. The skin was being replaced by a large piece of fungal growth that covered her left eye.

There was another large piece of fungal growth spreading through her dark hair, reaching down and wrapping around the side of her face, connecting at her right eye. The flesh around her uncovered eye was rotting away, leaving the majority of her eyeball exposed. There was a red tint to her iris.

One arm was flailing toward Matthew and Ellie while the other was bound by a long chain attached to an iron fencepost.

Ellie knew that Riley had chosen to chain herself up.

Riley's white shirt and blue vest were fading in color.

Ellie's eyes moved downward.

The cloth and skin on Riley's knees was ripped, worn, and scraped away from years of attempting to crawl and claw her way toward any sound that could be food.

There were hundreds of small bones around her. The bones once served animals that had long since become prey to her lust for flesh.

Seeing Riley now, Ellie wished that she had been wrong. She wished that Riley had been somewhere else. She wished they had never found Riley.

Ellie put a hand over her mouth and sobbed quietly for a moment before forcing herself to take a breath. _She doesn't deserve this. This shouldn't be how she is remembered._

Ellie looked at Matthew again.

 ** _…_**

Matthew stared at Riley. He didn't recognize her, but he knew it was her nonetheless. _This is what I did to her… I need to end this._

Matthew raised his crossbow.

His sister stopped flailing, finally exhausting herself. She just stood there, hunched over and gazing at him.

Matthew tightened his grip on the crossbow in an attempt to stop his hands from shaking. He tried to stop the tears from forming into his eyes.

A tear slid down his cheek and lightly splashed on the floor.

Matthew lowered his crossbow and began to sob. After what felt like hours, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Ellie standing next to him.

Ellie's long red hair and green eyes gleamed in the sunlight. "We'll do it together," she whispered gently.

All Matthew could do was nod.

Ellie turned toward Riley and raised her bow. She pulled back on the string, drawing back her last arrow. Matthew raised his crossbow.

Riley charged forward again, attempting to grab them.

The young pair across from her froze.

 ** _…_**

Joel walked into the room to see Matthew and Ellie standing side by side.

Their weapons were raised and pointing at a Stalker that was tightly chained in place.

Joel could only assume it was Riley. He stepped into the room and stood next to the bundle of boards off to the right. He said nothing, placing his pistol in his belt.

 ** _…_**

Matthew took a deep breath and leveled his weapon at his sister's heart.

Beside him, Ellie did the same.

They stood there a moment before Matthew took one more breath. "I'm sorry, Riley," he whispered.

Ellie's hand stopped shaking. "I love you," she said to her old friend.

The arrows were released.

A body hit the floor and the chain went slack.

The arrows remained embedded in the body, crossed over a once beating heart.


	90. Chapter 90

Joel watched as Matthew and Ellie lowered their weapons.

Ellie turned and grabbed Matthew's shoulder. He turned away as well.

Joel took a step forward.

The pair acknowledged his presence with a nod and he gazed at the body of the girl he never knew.

Just as Matthew was about to walk out of the room, an old sign came swinging in from around the corner. It collided hard with his face and sent him slamming onto his back, followed by his crossbow.

Joel looked up to see Damion raise a gun in his direction and fire.

The round hit the bucket and sent if flying off the bundle of boards. A split second later, Joel reflexively ducked behind the bundle of boards.

 ** _…_**

Ellie charged forward and took a fist to the face as Damion entered the room.

Ellie felt her lip split open. She looked up and was grabbed by the hair before being thrown further into the room. She landed in front of Riley's body and bow was kicked away.

 ** _…_**

Joel moved out of cover with is gun raised as Ellie rose from the ground.

In the blink of an eye, Damion yanked Matthew from the ground by his wounded shoulder and held the boy in front of him. He grabbed Matthew's bandage and yanked it off.

"Damion!" Joel shouted as he leveled his weapon.

Damion brought his weapon to bear on Ellie, aiming at her chest. "It only took twenty-three years and a gun to your daughter's chest for you to truly acknowledge me?" he snarled.

Joel took a step forward. "Let the boy go and put the gun down, Damion."

"You think that I'm expecting to make it out of this mall alive?" Damion asked, placing Matthew between himself and a bullet. Damion yanked up on Matthew's arm, emitting a groan of pain.

Ellie moved forward and flicked open her knife.

Damion spat blood on the ground. "Drop your weapon. And make the girl drop hers."

"Fat chance, you ungrateful son of a bitch!" Ellie shouted.

Matthew stirred in Damion's grip and raised his voice. "Don't drop anyth— aaaah!"

Damion's only reply was to stick the muzzle of his gun into Matthew's wound and apply pressure.

Matthew slumped somewhat, breathing heavily.

"What are my chances now?" Damion asked cruelly.

Ellie's hand began to shake.

Damion smiled slightly and pressed the gun further into Matthew's shoulder wound and tilled the gun upward, lifting the young man's skin from the inside. Matthew's loud scream of pain was followed by fresh blood.

Ellie dropped the knife.

Damion turned to Joel, who still held his weapon.

Joel's hand shook only slightly.

"You may not place much value in the boy's life," Damion said, dragging Matthew forward a step. He pointed the gun at Ellie again and pulled back the hammer on his weapon. "What about her life?"

Joel shoulders slowly sunk and he dropped his pistol.

Damion grinned. "Kick 'em."

Joel and Ellie kicked away their weapons.

"Good," Damion said. He threw Matthew to the ground and stomped on the young man's shoulder.

The boy let out a scream before closing clamping his eyes shut in pain.

Damion picked up the crossbow with one hand and threw it aside. "Now we can be civilized."

"Put down the gun and I'll show you civilized!" Ellie shouted taking a step forward.

Damion stomped on Matthew's shoulder again and the boy passed out.

Ellie glared at Damion and took a step back.

"You know what I want," Damion said to Joel.

Joel took a step forward and stopped when Damion moved toward Ellie while keeping a boot on Matthew.

Joel froze. "Damion," he pleaded. "You want to hurt _me_. So kill _me_. Let them go."

"Wanting to hurt you isn't the same as wanting you dead," Damion replied quietly. "You know that this isn't about us, Joel. This is about our daughters. _Mine's_ dead because of _you_."

"This has nothing to do with her!" Joel shouted, pointing to Ellie.

"Bullshit!" yelled Damion. "This is all about her. You don't deserve her. What makes _you_ so different than _me_?"

"Nothing!" Joel snapped. "Nothing! We're both monsters! Neither of us deserve to live! We've both killed innocent people in this world without mercy! But _she_ deserves better! _She_ deserves more!"

"My daughter deserved better," Damion whispered. He looked Joel in the eye. " _You_ could have given my daughter that chance. And _you_ kept on driving."

Damion glared at Ellie as she took a step forward. She stopped, eyeing his weapon.

Joel broke the silence. "I've done a lot of things that I've regretted since all this started," he said, keeping his hands up. "It was _my_ decision to keep driving. So, punish _me_! Make _me_ suffer! Don't make this about her!"

Damion took another step toward Ellie, giving Matthew a kick in the shoulder as the boy opened his eyes. Damion didn't even look down. He took another step forward and leaned close to Ellie.

" _He_ made this about you," Damion said to Ellie, his eyes flicking toward Joel. "This is _his_ fault."

Ellie spat blood in the old man's face.

Damion let out an inhuman growl and kicked her hard in the chest.

Ellie hit the ground and grunted in pain before slowly rising to her feet once again.

Damion held his gun inches from her head.

The girl only showed the smallest inkling of fear. Her hands curled into fists.

Damion's finger began to pull back on the trigger.

"Stop!" Joel yelled desperately. He took a small step forward and held up both of his hands. Emotion filled his voice. "Please, just… stop."

Damion took a step back, once again placing a boot on Matthew. He turned away from Ellie, who still hadn't moved and looked at Joel.

"Have you ever lost a daughter, Joel?" Damion asked quietly. "That girl in the truck, she's not here. Where is she? Did she die? Was it someone else's fault?"

"Yes," Joel whispered. He saw what was coming and knew he could do nothing to stop it. "Yes. He was… he was just following orders. She died in my arms."

"My daughter died with my hands around her neck," Damion spat without pity. "The man driving your truck was just following orders too. Yours."

Damion looked at Ellie as the young man beneath him opened his eyes slightly.

"It'll be over soon," Damion whispered. He looked back at Joel. "Do you remember what it felt like, seeing your daughter die? Knowing that you couldn't stop it?"

"Yes," Joel said with tears flowing down his face. He kept his voice low. "Yes, I remember…"

Damion looked down at the boy and saw his eyes open. Damion looked at Ellie. After a few seconds, Damion took a deep breath and slowly lowered the gun. He returned his gaze to Joel.

There was a single tear falling down the side of Damion's face.

"I don't think you do remember," Damion said softly. "Let me refresh your memory."

Damion raised the gun.

"No!" Joel shouted.

 ** _…_**

Matthew's own scream of anguish was drowned out.

Ellie took a step forward as the gun fired, sending a bullet into her heart. She flew backward. There was a loud clang as she hit the stone half wall with the iron bars behind her.

Ellie fell forward onto Riley's body and the redheaded young woman moved no more.

Blood began to flow onto the floor.


	91. Chapter 91

Joel snapped awake. He looked around frantically until he realized that he was still in bed. He collapsed back onto his pillow, breathing heavily. It took a full minute for him to shake off the nightmare.

Even as twenty years of contradiction lessened the memory's effect during the waking hours, Joel found that hours of sleep sometimes brought the worst memories to life in vivid focus.

Joel heard thumping and bumping coming down the hall outside his room.

Bump. Bump. Bump.

Joel looked up as a soccer ball hit the rim of his bedroom door and bounced into the room.

A little girl ran in and grabbed the ball.

"Sarah," Joel said, rubbing his eyes. "What did I tell you about soccer in the house?"

"You have to catch me first, grandpa."

Joel shook his head again as the twelve-year-old girl grabbed the ball and ran out of the room, her long, red ponytail hitting the door as she left.

Joel sighed. _She looks so much like her mother… acts like her too._

As Joel's heart-rate finally slowed, he laid his head back on the pillow for a moment, allowing himself to remember the twenty-year-old memories that had spawned the terrible nightmare…


	92. Chapter 92

Joel charged forward wordlessly as Ellie's body hit the floor.

Damion didn't move.

Joel tackled Damion to the ground. He raised a fist and punched the man who'd murdered Ellie again and again.

Despite the shattered jaw, dislodged eye, cracked nose and broken teeth, Damion began to laugh through the blood pooling in his mouth.

Joel kept on punching, setting the beast within free once again.

When Joel finally stopped, he reached into his belt and grabbed his knife. He was centimeters from plunging it through Damion's skull when he felt his knife hand being grabbed and tugged away.

Joel ignored what was said by the unknown resistance. With an inhuman rage, he shoved the resistance away and raised the knife once more.

"Joel, stop!"

Joel hesitated. He held the knife in the air and slowly looked to the side.

Matthew lay on the floor where Joel had just thrown him. The young man put his hand on the ground and pushed himself to eye level. Joel could see tears falling from his eyes.

Matthew crawled forward and grabbed Joel's hand again. "Don't let him win," the young man pleaded.

Joel's grip on the knife slackened but he didn't release it.

Matthew put both hands on the knife. "She wouldn't want this."

Joel's hand shook. Eventually, he dropped the knife and collapsed to the ground.

Joel began to shake as grief washed over him.

 ** _…_**

Matthew grabbed the knife and slowly stood. He hauled the beaten and broken John Damion to his feet before throwing him past the doorway.

Damion started chuckling again as he rose to his feet.

Matthew placed his left hand around Damion's neck.

Damion let out another laugh and spoke through blood. "You think that just because… he didn't kill me… that he's still not a monster."

Matthew silenced Damion by placing his knife blade into the old man's mouth. Matthew was breathing hard, seething in anger.

"It would be easy," Matthew growled. "It would be so _fucking_ easy to kill you."

"Then do it," Damion taunted.

Matthew jerked forward with the knife.

A drop of blood appeared on Damion's lip and fell to the floor.

Matthew closed his eyes. A tear rolled down his face. He released Damion, pushing him away. Matthew gripped the knife tightly until his hand began to shake. "I won't become like you either," he whispered. "Not yet. But if I ever see you again, I'll become the monster you are."

Damion laughed again and coughed up more blood. "You really are… a piece of work… _boy_ …" he sneered. "You think that letting me go makes _you_ a good per—"

Damion's sentence was cut off as Matthew grabbed him and threw him into a large bookcase that blocked the escalator behind him. The bookcase broke under Damion's weight and the old man tumbled backward down the escalator.

 ** _…_**

Damion stood and started stepped back, limping heavily. When he looked at the floor above him, the boy was gone. Damion spat out another mouthful of blood and limped away, smiling in satisfaction.

As Damion made his way through the dark hallways of the mall in search of an exit, he didn't notice a large figure moving through the darkness behind him.

 ** _…_**

Matthew walked back to Joel and dropped the knife, collapsing to his knees.

Joel sat upon the ground, cradling Ellie's body in his arms.

 ** _…_**

Joel cried silently, his face buried in Ellie's neck. _She's dead. She's gone._

Joel lifted his head and looked into Ellie's lifeless face. _I have… It's my… It was my job to… She can't be gone._ He let out another gasp of grief and buried his face in her shoulder.

"Come back," Joel whispered through his tears. "Please don't leave me…"

Joel felt a hand grab his beard.

"I'm not leaving you."

Joel and Matthew looked up half a second before Ellie snapped fully awake, gasping for air. "Where's my knife?" she gasped, frantically searching.

Joel stared at her in shock and tightened his embrace.

Ellie returned the hug and looked at Matthew, who was looking at her in disbelief.

"Matthew…" Ellie said gently. "It's me. Give me my knife."

Matthew reached on the ground and grabbed her knife. He extended his shaking hand.

Ellie grabbed his arm and yanked him towards her, wrapping a hand around his back. "I'm still alive," she said, almost in wonder.

The three of them sat embraced for a full ten seconds before Ellie pushed them away. "Fuck, that hurt!" she muttered after several coughs. She looked around her. "Where is that fucker?"

Matthew looked behind him before answering. "Gone…"

Joel grabbed Ellie. "How…" he asked.

Ellie stood, unzipped her sweatshirt slightly, and winced in pain as she ripped something out. Ellie held up a Firefly pendant. Matthew took a step closer and grasped the pendant.

Ellie smiled slightly and yanked a piece of tape off the pendant. She removed her sweater revealing a large collection of pendants that reached from her chest to her waist. The pendants were held over her t-shirt by both small and large strips of duct tape.

Ellie tugged on another piece of tape. There more clattering as numerous pendants fell to the floor.

Joel looked at the still shocked Matthew before returning his gaze to Ellie.

"You taught me how to survive," Ellie said to Joel. She turned to Matthew. "Both of you."

Ellie grabbed another piece of tape and released four more pendants. Two of them bore bullet sized holes. The third pendant was completely blown open. The fourth was dented.

Ellie tipped the dented pendant forward and hit it with the heel of her hand. A bullet fell to the ground. Ellie held onto the pendant as she attempted to remove the others.

Joel cautiously reached forward and grabbed Ellie tightly by the shoulders.

Ellie attempted to push him off. "I'm fine," she insisted.

Joel tugged her into another embrace. Eventually, he finally let her go. "Any other wounds?" he asked.

"No, but my chest hurts," Ellie grunted. She reached around her back and tried to grab another tab of tape. After a few seconds, she shook her head in frustration and looked at Joel. "Can you help me get these off? I kind of wrapped my entire chest, and I can't reach the tape on my back."

Joel nodded. "Turn around."

Ellie turned to Matthew.

 ** _…_**

Matthew was staring at the ground. _I almost got her killed. I almost got her killed again… I almost got another one killed._

"Matthew," Ellie said sharply, pulling him from his daze. "Snap out of it. I'm not going anywhere."

Matthew forced himself to look up. He took a deep breath and wiped the dried tears from his face. He turned toward the exit to the room, briefly gazing at Riley's body.

Ellie stepped away from Joel as he brought a piece of tape around her shoulder. Ellie grabbed the tape and tugged it off the rest of the way, allowing another layer of pendants to clatter to the ground.

"Thanks," Ellie said to Joel. "I can get the rest. The armor in that book I read made this look a lot less painful…"

Joel nodded and walked over to Matthew.

Matthew's hand was shaking.

Joel put a hand on Matthew's shoulder and spoke softly. "Kid, thanks for not letting me…" Joel left his sentence unfinished.

Matthew didn't say anything.

Joel gazed toward the exit. "Where is he?"

"Gone," Matthew said again. "He thinks…"

Joel tightened his grip on Matthew's shoulder. "She's not," he said firmly to the young man. "And it's not because of anything _I_ taught her."

They both turned when they heard the last of the pendants fall to the ground.

"Fuck!" Ellie exclaimed. She was looking down her t-shirt at what was most likely a large mark left by the bullet. "That's gonna bruise like a bitch!"

Joel chuckled under his breath.

Even Matthew allowed himself a small smile.

Ellie picked up her bow and slung it around her shoulder before handing Matthew his crossbow.

Joel retrieved his gun and knife. "We should move," he said.

Ellie held up the pendant she still had in her hand. She looked at Riley's body before turning to Matthew.

"She shouldn't be remembered as that," Ellie whispered.

Matthew nodded and slowly ran his fingers down the pendant before leaving it in Ellie's hands.

 ** _…_**

Ellie turned and knelt over Riley's body. She took deep breath before gently placing the pendant around Riley's neck.

The sun reflected off of the pendant, illuminating long dried blood. The dent left by the bullet was fresh, resting over three sets of lettering.

 **RILEY**

 **ABEL**

 **000129**

Ellie walked up to Matthew and finally took her knife back. She looked at the knife in her hands for a moment. _Thanks for the help, mom._

Behind them, Joel unloaded and reloaded his pistol.

Matthew gripped his crossbow tightly.

Ellie placed the knife safely in her pocket. "We should go out the way we came," she said before looking at Joel with a raised eyebrow. "You think you can jump to that scaffolding?"

Joel grunted. "I got here, didn't I?"

"What about you?" Ellie asked Matthew.

Matthew nodded.

Joel reached into his backpack and grabbed his last medical kit, tossing it to Matthew. "You should wrap that wound again."

Matthew grabbed the kit and winced as he started wrapping the bandage against his throbbing shoulder.

Ellie jumped onto the scaffolding and raised her arms high. "You hear this, world?" she shouted. "You see it? You threw soldiers, Infected, and a psychopath at me. And you still couldn't kill me! What do you have to say now? Huh? What do you have to fucking say now?"

 ** _…_**

Damion turned a corner and saw light ahead. He stopped dead in his tracks when he heard an echoing coming down the hall behind him. He recognized it instantly. _The girl!_

Damion screamed in rage and kicked open a door beside him. He ran into a room with security screens and started to throw anything he could. He howled in anger as the last screen hit the ground.

After a minute, Damion stared at the blank wall in front of him, his eyes tearing up in rage he didn't know he possessed.

A shadow appeared from behind him, blocking out almost all the light in the room. He turned and saw a Bloater moving toward him. The ground shook with each step as it roared.

Damion's scream of terror was cut off as the Bloater swung its large right arm. It connected with Damion's chin, driving all the blood and several teeth from his mouth.

Damion had no time to recover before the Bloater spun the own man around and wrapped one arm around his neck before plunging its large fingers into his mouth. The Bloater reached its other enormous hand over Damion's head and wrapped it around the teeth in the top half his mouth.

The Bloater pulled in opposite directions until there was a large crack followed by an explosion of bone, cartilage, and blood.


	93. Chapter 93

Ellie, Matthew, and Joel exited the mall in silence.

They didn't stop moving until they were half a mile away, only relaxing slightly as they made their way back to the zone's edge.

"Do you feel any different?" Ellie asked Matthew.

"I don't know," Matthew answered, not making eye contact. "I think I just need time. What about you?"

"Same," Ellie said. She reached out to him. "Well, I'm here if you need—woah!"

Ellie moved Matthew aside as three people came charging past them, not even acknowledging their existence.

Ellie looked down the street as the three figures turned the corner. "What the hell was that all about?"

Ellie took off running, passing Joel before he could say a word. When she turned the corner, Ellie saw a large crowd of people moving toward a ration depot down the street. The four soldiers that had been guarding the depot lay on the ground dead, their weapons forgotten and ignored.

The garage door leading into the storage area itself was wide open.

People charged into the small garage and started rummaging through the pallets and bags inside, dragging them out into the street. The second the pallets hit the sun, the street dissolved into chaos.

People piled on top of each other in an attempt to get at the food.

Even the starving children attempted to squeeze between the mountains of moving bodies. One child got elbowed in the face and fell to the ground.

"Hey!" Ellie shouted. "Let the kids go first!"

Nobody heard her.

Matthew ran past Ellie and into the mound in an attempt to extract the child. He moved the kid before being pushed over by another man joining the fray, landing on his wounded shoulder and letting out a scream of pain.

 ** _…_**

Joel ran in and attempted to get Matthew out of the pile as Ellie tried to shout above the overbearing sound.

Joel managed to get Matthew and a child away from the pile as another child fell and got stepped on. Joel moved the foot and hauled the child to his feet.

Joel grunted as a woman stepped on his hand. Another child fell to the ground.

Joel reached for his gun to find that it wasn't there.

BANG. BANG. BANG.

Everyone froze and turned toward the young woman who held a still smoking gun.

Ellie stepped forward, still holding the gun high. "Move!"

The crowd instinctively backed away from the gun. Ellie waited as Joel and Matthew began to move the children away from the crowd. Ellie took another step forward. "The children and elderly get the food first."

"Why should we listen to you?" asked a man in the crowd. "You don't have enough bullets to stop us."

There was another set of shots.

Everyone flinched as Ellie turned toward the gun shots.

Three large men in ragged clothes held assault rifles taken from dead soldiers.

Malick stepped between the three large men and put a pistol flush to the protestor's head. "We have plenty of bullets," he said calmly, pulling at his baseball cap. When the man backed away, Malick turned to his men. "Just like the lady said."

The men nodded and got to work distributing the rations among the children and elderly first.

Ellie slowly lowered the gun and handed it to Joel without hesitation.

Joel placed his gun in his belt.

Matthew reached down and grabbed a can of food. He handed it to a child he had just extracted from the bottom of the pile.

The boy limped away, smiling gratefully.

Matthew turned toward Malick, who was looking at him curiously.

Malick looked over Matthew's shoulder and called out to one of his men. "Ted, make sure you separate the meds from the food," he said loudly. "We'll have to sort through them."

A man in the crowd nodded.

Malick turned to Ellie. "Nice work."

Ellie rolled her eyes. "There's some kids still in the prep school. Make sure they get some of that food," she said firmly. She took a step closer to Malick. "Don't let this get out of hand."

Joel exchanged a glance with Matthew as Ellie turned and walked away without a word, examining the dead soldiers for supplies.

"Wow," Malick said with a chuckle. He turned to Joel. "Did she get that from you, or Tess?"

Joel looked at Ellie with a hint of a smile. He covered it up quickly and turned to the man next to him.

Matthew stood off to the side, looking at the ground.

"Thanks, Malick," Joel said. He raised his voice so his companions could hear. "We're leaving."

Matthew nodded and walked past Malick as he moved to rejoin Ellie.

Malick wasn't finished. He knelt and grabbed a capsule of the ground. "Hey, kid."

Matthew turned and caught a package of pills that Malick threw his direction.

Malick stood and wiped off his pants. "That wound looks bad," he said. "Make sure you take a couple of those a day."

"Thanks," Matthew said, placing the pills in his backpack.

 ** _…_**

Ellie walked beside Joel as they neared the edge of the zone. She held a package of crackers she'd taken from the ration depot.

Ellie heard scurrying in the alley next to her. She looked closely and saw a dog.

The dog stood to Ellie's waist. Its face, chest, and legs were white and filled with dirt and grime. The rest of its fur was a dark grey that led down to its bushy tail. It had two icy blue eyes that followed Ellie's hand.

Ellie threw it a few crackers and kept walking. When she looked behind her, the dog was walking beside Matthew, who was scratching it behind the ears.

Ellie looked at Joel, who hadn't noticed. She decided to keep quiet.

When they reached the edge of the zone, they found that the exit was unguarded. Ellie didn't hesitate to pull open the garage door that led to the outside and walk through. The dog ran past her and into the trees beyond.

"Winston!" Ellie called, not understanding why she had already named the dog.

Joel turned and looked at Matthew, who just put his good arm in the air in surrender.

Joel looked at Ellie with a raised eyebrow. "No," he said firmly.

Ellie gave him her best pouty face. "Pleeeaaaassssee? I'll find a way to feed it."

"No, Ellie. It's hard enough feeding—"

The dog came running back, dropped a squirrel at Joel's feet, and looked at him expectantly.

"Fine…" Joel said, resigned. "Keep the damn dog."


	94. Chapter 94

Joel, Ellie, and Matthew shut the sliding door behind them and walked in silence until they reached the sewage grate that contained their extra gear.

Matthew handed Ellie and Joel their guitars.

Joel looked in the direction of Boston, then at his young companions. "We should make it a short day today," he advised. "I figure we can get a couple miles in, though. Ready?"

When they nodded their consent, Joel turned away.

"Joel?"

Joel inwardly prepared himself and turned to Ellie. _She's going to choose._ He put a hand on her shoulder. "Ellie, we don't have to talk about his right now."

Ellie grabbed the hand and gently removed it. "I want to go home," she said. Her voice held no uncertainty. "I've got nothing left to do out here."

Joel looked over her shoulder at Matthew. The boy was looking thoughtfully at the ground. Then the young man nodded, seemingly to himself, and made eye contact with Joel.

Joel looked at Ellie and nodded, speaking one word. "Okay."

 ** _…_**

Joel felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted from his shoulders as Ellie led the group away from Boston with Winston at her heels.

Matthew and Joel walked silently a short distance behind.

Winston's ears popped up and he ran into the brush ahead of him in excitement. Ellie took off after him, calling his name.

Joel smiled slightly and glanced at Matthew. "She always wanted a dog in Jackson," he said. When Matthew didn't reply, Joel lowered his voice. "You're quiet, even for you."

"Sorry," Matthew said. "I'm just… trying to figure something out."

Joel looked at Matthew and saw some of the emotion the young man was trying to hide.

Matthew offered no other explanation.

Joel knew what was coming next. "You're not coming back with us, are you?

Matthew looked in Ellie's direction. "I won't… I'm not going to ask Ellie to come with me," he said, putting on a fake smile. "She should be safe."

Joel took a deep breath to stifle the unexpected emotions that came from within.

"You have to do what you have to do," he said quietly.

Matthew didn't say anything.

Joel stopped. "You're a good man," he told Matthew, extending his hand. He waited until Matthew grasped his hand. Joel held it a second longer than necessary. "Don't ever let anyone tell you different, son. Not even you."

Matthew released his hand and they continued walking. The young man took a deep breath and looked at the sky.

"When are you going to tell her?" Joel asked after minute.

"I don't know," Matthew said awkwardly. "I figured I would wait a…"

His voice trailed off when Joel put a hand in front of him, blocking his path with an arm.

"Kid, take my word for it," Joel said as he stepped in front of Matthew. "The longer you wait, the more it's going to hurt for both of you."

"Guys?" Ellie called from ahead. "You coming or what?"

Joel stepped out of Matthew's way. "I'll give you two a minute."

Matthew looked Joel in the eye. "Thanks for everything," he said to the older man. "I couldn't have done this without you."

Joel remained silent as Matthew began to walk toward the brush where Ellie had disappeared.

"Matthew," Joel called.

The young man turned to him.

Joel reached into his pocket and threw its only content through the air.

Matthew caught the object and opened his hand. In his palm, he held a black knight from their chess set. Matthew looked at the object thoughtfully before placing it in his pocket and walking away.

Joel stopped and leaned up against a tree, stroking his watch.

 ** _…_**

Ellie grabbed the dog by its scruff to prevent it from running again.

Matthew walked into the small clearing and stood in front of her.

Ellie's grip on Winston loosened when she saw the look on Matthew's face. "Matthew," she asked with concern in her voice. "What's…"

Matthew lowered his eyes.

Ellie knew what was coming. "Don't go," she said softly.

Matthew shook his head. "It can't work that way this time, Ellie."

"The fuck it can't, Matthew!" Ellie shouted in anger. She released her grip on Winston.

 ** _…_**

Joel ran a hand down his face as the shouting began. _This is going to kill them both…_

 ** _…_**

"This is bullshit!" Ellie snapped.

"Hey!" Matthew shouted. "You and I both agreed that we would do whatever we had to do! It's over, Ellie!"

"So, what?" Ellie said shoving Matthew's left shoulder roughly. "After all that we've been through, you're just going to fucking leave? I swear to fucking God Matthew, if you're doing this for me or because of Riley—"

"You know what?" Matthew interrupted. He raised his voice even louder. "That's great! Yes, Ellie, it's about you! It's about Riley! It's about everything that has happened since I…" His sentence trailed off.

Ellie shook her head in anger and disbelief.

Matthew threw his left hand in the air and shouted louder than he ever had. "Hate me, Ellie! If this makes it easier, then fucking hate me! Because whether you like it or not, we're on two different paths! So just make it easier for yourself and hate—"

"I don't…" Ellie stopped and lowered her voice with a shudder. She turned away from Matthew and attempted to get her emotions under control. "I don't hate you. Just… oh, fuck… Just… let me say my part and then do what you have to do."

Matthew nodded slowly and waited.

Ellie let out a breath and spoke the words that she always looked to when she didn't know what to do. "There are a million ways we should've died before today. And a million ways we can die before tomorrow," Ellie said. She looked into Matthew's eyes. "We've been together so long… I don't want it to end like this. We need to fight. We need to fight for every second we get to spend with each other."

A single tear fell down Matthew's face. He didn't look away. He simply listened to the last words that Ellie would ever say to him.

Ellie took another step closer until she was standing inches away from him. She allowed all her emotion to enter her voice. "There's only ever been two other people in my entire life that I trust the way I trust you," she said as she put a hand on his chest. "Matthew, don't want to give that up."

Matthew continued to look in her eyes but made no reply.

After long silence, Ellie let her hand fall from Matthew's chest and took a step back.

"But I also know what it's like to be thrown into a life you're not ready for," she said quietly.

Matthew took a deep breath. "After everything that I've done… and caused," he said, turning the knight piece in his hand. "I don't know how I can… I'm not ready for… We both promised that we'd do what's best for ourselves when this was over. I don't know what else I can say."

Ellie held up a hand. "I know, Matthew," she said gently. The anger in her voice was gone, replaced by resigned sadness. "So… if you need to go, then go. You know where to find me when… if you're ever ready."

Matthew didn't say a word.

Ellie turned and grabbed onto Winston. "Here," she said. "Take him. And promise me you won't die alone out here."

Matthew took the dog and looked away. "Goodbye," he said quietly.

Ellie nodded and looked down.

"Ellie," Matthew said softly. "A million ways to die… Riley said that, didn't she?"

Ellie looked in Joel's direction for a moment. She turned to Matthew and wrapped her arms around him, careful to avoid his wounded shoulder. "Thank you for everything that you've done for us," she whispered.

Matthew moved her back a step and bushed the hair out of Ellie's eyes. "No, Ellie," he said with a sad smile. "Thank _you_."

Matthew reached into his backpack and extracted the iPad as Ellie stepped back. "Here," he said, offering it to her. "I recorded something the other night. It's to help remind you what you're fighting for."

Ellie took the iPad before leaning up and kissing Matthew on the cheek. "Goodbye," she said.

Ellie turned and walked back to Joel. She forced herself not to look back.

 ** _…_**

Joel and Ellie walked until the sun began to set.

Joel continuously glanced at the girl next to him.

The young woman had been silent since departing from Matthew. Her face had remained blank.

They finally made camp in a small clearing with a fallen tree. It was early evening when Joel made a camp fire and grabbed an apple from his backpack. He used his knife to cut the apple in half and offered it to Ellie.

Ellie didn't move.

Joel placed the apple on the log next to her. "You want to practice tonight?" he asked.

Ellie didn't say anything.

Joel placed his knife on the log beside him. "Ellie, you haven't said anything since…"

Ellie's eyes twitched but she still said nothing.

Joel placed a firm hand on Ellie's arm and kept it there. "Ellie," he said gently. "Ellie, I need you to look at me."

Ellie slowly turned her head and made eye contact with him. Less than a second later, a tear rolled down her cheek.

Joel watched as the tear hit Ellie's lap.

Joel looked down for a moment. "Honey, I—"

Ellie turned away and quickly wiped her cheek.

Joel let go of her arm.

After a few minutes of silence, Ellie flipped over the iPad she had been holding and hit the power button. Nothing happened. She hit it again and still nothing happened. Ellie gritted her teeth angrily and raised the device to smash it against the log.

Joel grabbed the object gently took it from her hand. He held down the power button with his finger until the iPad lit up.

Ellie looked at the screen and pressed the camera symbol, which had an exclamation point next to it. The file contained a three-minute video that showed Joel and Ellie completing their song for the first time.

Ellie and Joel watched it without saying a word. As the Ellie and Joel on the iPad completed their song, the camera angle changed. The last image was that of Matthew looking at the iPad in an attempt to stop the recording.

Ellie's fingers rested on his face long after the image had disappeared.

Ellie turned off the iPad and gently placed it in her backpack before looking at Joel. "I hate this," she said quietly. "I fucking hate this."

Joel looked back the way they came. "Do you want to go back for him?" he asked.

Ellie immediately shook her head. "No," she said louder than intended. She lowered her voice and stood. "He has to come back on his own… if he ever does."

Joel didn't know what to say.

Ellie shook her head. "Joel, which way is Jackson?"

Joel thought for a moment and pointed into the distance.

Ellie picked up her guitar. "Can we… can we walk for a while longer?" she asked.

Joel stood and doused the fire. "Sure," he said.

They began to walk again.

Joel offered Ellie half the apple again.

Ellie took it and started to eat.

Joel took a bite of his own half and swallowed. "I don't like it either, Ellie."

Ellie smiled sadly and placed a hand on his shoulder.

 ** _…_**

Matthew sat down against a tree and stared at the moon.

Winston whined and laid next to him, allowing Matthew to scratch his ears.

Matthew reached into his backpack and grabbed the picture of Ellie and Riley. He examined the picture. In his other hand, he turned the knight piece.

As Matthew gazed at the picture, he found something that he didn't understand. He couldn't see his sister. He couldn't see Riley.

All he could see… was Ellie.


	95. Chapter 95

Winter:

February

Ellie and Joel stood before entrance to Jackson as they had almost four years before. It was late afternoon and a light snowfall added to the three inches of snow already on the ground. The ground beneath their feet crunched with every step.

Ellie and Joel both wore matching green jackets and blue jeans.

Joel placed a hand on Ellie's shoulder. "You ready?" he asked.

Ellie pushed her long hair away from her face. "I don't know," she answered honestly. "But I'm ready to try."

Joel nodded and looked behind him. "What about you?"

"I hope so," Matthew said, pulling on his blue jacket and giving Winston a pat on the

head.

Ellie walked over and grasped Matthew's arm. "Just give it a chance, okay?" she said quietly.

Matthew nodded.

Ellie took a deep breath. "Do you think Timmy and Clarisse made it?" she asked, fearing the answer.

Matthew thought for a moment. "We gave them all we could," he replied.

Ellie turned around again. "Here we go," she said. She walked up to the door and raised her voice. "It's cold out here! Open the door… please?"

 ** _…_**

A minute later, the sliding door opened and three men ushered them in.

Matthew jumped as the door slammed shut behind him.

Ellie was there a second later with a hand on his shoulder.

Matthew placed his hand on hers for a moment before allowing one of the men to separate them.

A fourth man walked forward with a military scanner.

"That won't be necessary, boys," Joel said calmly, holding up a hand. "We did our checks just before we arrived."

"Sorry, sir. But this is standard procedure," the man said as he scanned Joel.

Joel started to protest as the man moved on to Ellie.

Ellie took a step back.

The man reached for Ellie.

Matthew roughly shoved the man back a step. "We're good," he said firmly.

A man grabbed Matthew from behind.

Ellie pushed the man away.

There was a moment of tension as the four men started to move forward together.

"Hey, John?"

The man holding the scanner turned to a teenager that looked to be couple years younger than Ellie. He wore ripped blue jeans and a blue jacket. He had short black hair. On his hands, he wore a pair of brown gloves.

Ellie relaxed instantly. A hint of a smile formed on her face.

"Joey," said Joel in relief.

Matthew looked between them, confused.

Ellie placed a hand on Matthew's arm again. "We're fine," she said quietly.

Matthew relaxed somewhat as the boy moved forward, speaking to John.

The man handed Joey the scanner and walked off.

Joey walked forward. "Sorry about that. We're a bit short-staffed. There's a flu going around," he explained. He hit a button on the scanner and walked up to Matthew. "Do you mind?"

Matthew looked at Ellie for confirmation before turning around. After a second, he heard the soft beep.

"Clear," Joey said, looking at the scanner. He glanced at Ellie and took a cautious step forward. "Ellie…"

Ellie, without hesitation, turned around and waited for the beep.

The device beeped and Joey nodded. "Clear."

Joey took off a glove to hit the small power button on the side, clearing the screen. There was a large burn scar on the back of his left hand. The scar wasn't fully visible, but it was evident the mark traveled up his arm.

Joey walked up to Joel and extended his hand as he spoke. "Sir, welcome back."

"Nice timing, Joey," Joel said quietly, shaking the young man's hand.

Joey looked at Ellie with a bit of nervousness, but extended his greetings to her as well. He turned to the other two men behind him. "Alex, if you want to get them checked back in, I'll get the new guy set up. The rest of you can head back home for the day."

The remaining man handed Joey a clipboard and a pen.

Joey glanced at Matthew and moved off.

Matthew hesitated for a moment and followed.

 ** _…_**

Ellie looked at Joel in amusement and pointed over her shoulder at Joey with her thumb. "Who was that guy?" she asked.

Joel chuckled. "I look forward to finding out."

"Names?" Alex asked.

"A lot of added security," Joel observed.

"We had a rough few months," Alex replied. "Anyway, I'm just going to ask a few questions. Where you've been, what you have on you, medical issues, stuff like that. When you have time, you can drop off your stuff at the general store."

"Deja vu, huh?" Ellie said to Joel.

Alex looked at the first question on the sheet. "How long have you been gone?"

Ellie let Joel do most of the talking. After a minute, she glanced at Matthew and Joey across the street.

 ** _…_**

"One last question," Joey said, looking Matthew in the eye. "Have you ever killed anyone without justification?"

"With all due respect," Matthew said, scratching his healed right shoulder. "I think there's a big difference between justification and necessity."

"And?"

Matthew looked down. "Let's just say that I've caused more death than I'd like to admit to anyone," he said. He glanced around. "I was told this was a place that offers a second chance… if there is such a thing."

Joey smiled slightly. "My parents are going to like you," he said, scribbling something down on the paper. "Well, that's it. You have any questions?"

Matthew glanced back at Ellie before folding his arms. "Well, to be honest," Matthew started carefully, looking back at Joey. "I don't think you've said all you want to say."

Joey nodded and tucked the clipboard under his arm. "I'm not the smartest kid in the county, but you've been here five minutes and I can see that you mean a lot to them," he said, motioning to Matthew's companions. "Especially Ellie. That means that you know about certain… differences between her and others in Jackson."

Matthew continued to listen in silence.

Joey continued, lowering his voice. "The fact that they care for you will help you fit in quickly," he said quietly. "They have a good reputation here. But you should understand that if you cause them any danger, harm, or trouble… it won't end well for you."

Matthew took the threat in stride. "Understood," he said respectfully.

Joey straightened up with a smile. "In that case," he said, extending his hand. "I'm Joey."

Matthew shook the hand.

Matthew and Joey rejoined Joel and Ellie.

Joey looked around. "Well, I'm technically on break, so I'll get you back to the house," he said, looking at Joel. "I've tried my best to keep it clean for you."

"Lead the way," Joel replied.

Ellie fell in behind them and walked next to Matthew and Winston. "What did he say to you?" she asked Matthew quietly.

"Nothing," Matthew answered. "He just gave me some… friendly advice."

Ellie stopped for a moment. "Friendly advice from Joey?" she said with a raised eyebrow. Ellie continued walking. "Imagine that."


	96. Chapter 96

As they walked through the streets of Jackson, Ellie continued to watch over Matthew. He continuously kept his eyes open for non-existent threats.

Ellie felt oddly relaxed as she listened to Joey explain what had happened since she'd left.

"Anyway," Joey was saying. "We have a school for the older kids going up in a couple weeks."

"Where did you get the burns?" Ellie asked.

Joey looked down sadly. "A few months ago, we let a family in. We didn't have the scanner working and our boys missed the bite. It was well hidden. Anyway, the wife turned in the middle of the night, killed her husband, and accidently set fire to the house."

Nobody said anything for a few seconds.

Joey pulled his glove up further. "We got the fire low enough that I managed to get their nine-year-old daughter out as the house started to collapse on top of us."

"Doesn't look like you made it out unscathed," Joel commented.

"Well, we all have to grow up sooner or later," Joey replied quietly. "My mom called me an idiot for going in there without help. My dad told me he was proud. Then he called me an idiot too."

Ellie punched his shoulder. "Welcome to the wonderful world of scars," she said lightly.

Joey stopped as they reached the house. He turned to the group. "Mom and dad are out right now. But they should be headed back soon. Feel free to make yourselves at home."

Matthew walked up to Ellie and took her aside.

Ellie grasped his hand for a moment. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Matthew said. "I uh, I'm just going to go for a walk. Alone, if that's okay."

"Sounds good," Ellie said. "I did the same thing the first time around."

Joey overheard and walked up to Matthew. "Just remember, Z-two-four-one-six. Say that and nobody will give you any trouble."

"Z-two-four-one-six," Matthew repeated. "Thanks." He walked away.

"I'm going to go for a walk too," Ellie announced. "There's someone I want to visit."

"Okay," Joel said uneasily. "Just be back soon and stay out of trouble."

"As usual," Ellie replied.

"Hey, Ellie?" Joey called. He took a step forward and lowered his voice. "About the things I said the last few years, I…"

Joey let the rest of his sentence hang when Ellie hugged him. "It's good to see you, Joey," she said. She let go and punched his shoulder again. "Don't think that hug means I like you."

 ** _…_**

Matthew strolled through the streets of Jackson. He looked through the windows and saw families crowding around television sets.

Matthew shook his head. _How do I deserve that peace?_ He was torn out of his thoughts when he turned the next corner.

A younger boy was standing on the side of a building throwing knives at an old dart board. Each knife landed side by side across the middle of the board.

Matthew drew his own knife and threw.

The blade bounced off the dart board and landed on the ground.

The young man turned and drew his final knife, holding it tightly. He saw Matthew and relaxed.

Matthew shrugged.

The young man shoved the knife back into his belt. "Son of a bitch," he muttered quietly.

"I guess you made it," Matthew said, walking forward. "Tim."

"Well, more or less. It was bumpy," Tim replied, grabbing his knives and shoving them into his blue jeans before straightening out his blue sweater. He strolled forward, shook Matthew's hand, and took a step back. "You two were right. There are good people here. They gave me a much less dangerous job."

Matthew chuckled slightly. "What job is that?"

A woman sporting cropped hair as well as a black jacket and black jeans walked up to them from the street. She had a serious expression on her face and in her walk. "Hey, Tim, the pipe burst down at the Straley's house again. Would you mind…" Her eyes narrowed when she saw Matthew. "I haven't seen you around these parts. What is your name and when did you get here?"

Matthew shoved his hands in his pockets, suddenly anxious. "I just came in an hour ago, ma'am. A young man gave me a code; Z-two-four-one-six."

The woman raised her eyebrows. "I'm Maria. That's my son's passcode," she said, grabbing her walkie-talkie. She looked at Tim. "Do you know this boy?"

"Joey hasn't gotten a hold of you yet?" Tim asked. "This is Matthew. He and…"

Maria held up a finger and looked at Matthew. "What was the girls' name?"

"Ellie," Matthew replied quickly. "I came here with Joel and Ellie."

Maria gave him confused look and turned away, pressing a button on the walkie-talkie as she quickly moved away. "Tommy… Yeah, I just heard. I'm on my way back now…"

Matthew shook his head. "So much for a subtle entrance."

"So," Tim said, folding his arms. "Where'd you leave your girl?"

Matthew chuckled again and raised an eyebrow. "Where's yours?"

 ** _…_**

Ellie opened the door to the general store and walked in.

The store looked much like it had when Ellie had stepped through the door the first time. _All the work I did is gone… Fuck._

"You're late for work," said a voice behind her.

Ellie turned and saw the shopkeeper behind the counter. He was eating from a bowl of grapes, wearing his usual brown jacket and jeans.

"Yeah," Ellie said sheepishly. She walked forward and took a grape. "Sorry. I must have slept in."

"Welcome back," the old man said.

Ellie sat down the counter. "Place looks like shit," she observed as she helped herself to another grape. "No helpers?"

"Ellie?"

Ellie looked around, trying to find the source of the voice.

The shopkeeper ate the last grape. "Just one. Kid, where are you hiding?"

Ellie looked to her left as a stack of CDs was knocked over.

A little girl in a small, red dress came running toward her with a toy robot in hand.

"Clarisse!" Ellie exclaimed. She knelt and fell backwards as the little girl flung her herself into Ellie's arms.

The little girl started talking before Ellie could even catch her breath. "The robot protected me just like you said it would. Timmy got us here, and then I met Maria and Tommy, and they gave us food, and a home and…"

Ellie embraced Clarisse as the little girl went on for a full thirty seconds before she took a breath.

Clarisse unwrapped herself from Ellie and stood. "Did your friend come back with you? Did your dad find you?"

"Yes," Ellie replied, her voice choking with emotion as tears started falling from her face. "Yes, Joel found me. They're both here."

Clarisse tipped her head in confusion. "Why are you crying, Ellie?"

Ellie embraced Clarisse again. "I don't know," she cried. _What is happening to me?_ "I don't know."

 ** _…_**

Matthew and Tim walked up to the store as Ellie and Clarisse exited.

Clarisse had a tight grip on Ellie's hand.

"Look who I found," Ellie said with a smile.

Clarisse let go of Ellie, walked straight up to Matthew, and gave him a hug before standing beside Tim.

Matthew looked at Ellie and saw the dried tears on her face.

Whatever the reason for the tears, Ellie was smiling broadly.

Matthew decided not to pursue the subject.

Tim gave Ellie a small hug.

"Hey, Tim," said Ellie.

Tim broke the contact and backed up. "Thanks for the map, Ellie," he said grabbing a hold of Clarisse's hand. "Tommy should be back at you're place by now. We should get going."

 ** _…_**

Joel watched as another family passed by and gave Winston a pat on the head. He turned when he heard Tommy's voice.

Joey greeted his father and walked into his house.

Tommy had changed very little since Joel had last seen him. He still sported long hair and a thin beard.

Tommy didn't say a word as he walked up to Joel, grabbing his older brother and shoving him up against the door to the house. "You're cutting this pretty damn close, Joel! Another month and I would have had to go out there again!" he exclaimed.

Joel made no reply.

Tommy pulled Joel into a tight hug.

Joel laughed in reply and patted his brothers back.

Tommy reached into his pocket and extracted Joel's house key. "Where the hell have you been?" he asked.

Joel took the key. "Everywhere. And if you ever shove me like that again, I'll kill you."

"So," Tommy said, ignoring the threat. "Joey says that you brought someone else back with you too."

"It's… complicated," Joel replied.

Joel turned around as Ellie and Matthew came walking down the street beside Tim and Clarisse. All of them were smiling.

Clarisse ran straight to Winston.

Tim walked up to Joel and shook his hand, thanking him.

"Thanks for giving them my message," Joel replied.

Tim backed up and looked at the family. "Well, Clarisse and I have to get going," he said, placing a hand on his sister's shoulder. "Dinner's soon."

Ellie gave Clarisse a quick hug, saying that she'd see her in the morning.

Tim and Clarisse departed, leaving Joel, Tommy, Ellie, Matthew, and Winston alone.

Tommy walked up to Ellie. "You planning on sticking around this time?" he asked.

"I'm thinking about it," Ellie said with a shrug. She took a deep breath. "I had some things to work out."

"Well, I'm glad you made it back," Tommy said with a smile. "I like the dog, by the way."

Tommy's eyes settled on Matthew. "And you are?" he asked the young man.

"My name is Matthew," the young man answered, extending his hand. He glanced at Ellie before turning back to Tommy. "Matthew Abel."

Ellie intertwined her hand with Matthew's as a small smile formed on her face.

Tommy saw this, glanced at the necklace around Ellie's neck, and looked at Joel with a raised eyebrow.

Joel nodded.

"Welcome to Jackson," Tommy said, shaking Matthew's hand. "I'm sure we can find a place for you to stay until—"

"That won't be necessary," Joel interrupted. "He can stay Ellie and me. It's a big house."

Ellie smiled at Joel gratefully.

Tommy reached into his pocket and handed Matthew another key to the house. "We'll have to find you a job tomorrow," he said. "We've been pretty short on manpower guarding the Wall, what with this new school going up."

"I'll help wherever I can, sir," Matthew replied. He tapped his crossbow. "But I don't like guns."

"Joey said we'd like you," Tommy said with a hint of admiration. He turned to Joel and Ellie. "By the way, we, uh, took in this doctor a couple months ago."

Ellie's hand traced over her covered bite and looked around to make sure nobody was listening in. "Doctors and I still don't mix," she said cautiously.

"Maria and I had a long talk with her about what is and isn't possible with the Cordyceps Infection," Tommy said carefully. "She believes that there are certain individuals who possess immunity. Don't worry. She doesn't believe in human experimentation. Not if it's dangerous. If she passes with Joel, I think she'd be someone to go to if you get sick."

Ellie looked to Matthew for advice.

"I think it's a good idea," Matthew said.

"I guess it's one less person that I'd have to lie to," Ellie said reluctantly.

"Alright," said Tommy. He opened his mouth to continue when his walkie-talkie went off. He took the message and turned back to Joel. "I'll get a time set up with the doctor for tomorrow. Dinner's at eight if you want to come, but no rush."

Tommy walked off, leaving them on the street.

Ellie, Joel, and Matthew turned to the house. They stared at the door.

After a moment, Ellie took the key from Matthew, unlocked the door, and walked inside.


	97. Chapter 97

Ellie let out a breath.

The house looked exactly as it had almost a year before. The furniture was clean. The floors were swept. All that was sitting on the table in the kitchen was Sarah's old soccer ball.

Ellie looked at Matthew.

The young man's eyes darted toward every corner and shadow.

Ellie placed a hand on his shoulder. "If it gets to be too much, find a closet," she advised, noticing that his hand lingered near his crossbow. "Trust me. It helps."

Matthew slowly took his hand away from his crossbow.

Joel placed a hand on Matthew's other shoulder. "One step at a time, kid."

Ellie grabbed Matthew's hand and showed him around the house, excluding her room and Joel's. She attempted to keep an upbeat attitude and found that it was somewhat genuine.

 ** _…_**

Joel finished placing his picture of Sarah next to her soccer ball as Ellie and Matthew walked back into the kitchen.

Joel turned to them and sat in the chair. "What next? Wanna get some food? You guys haven't eaten all day," he said.

They both shrugged.

Joel rolled his eyes. "Oh, by the way, Joey mentioned that they finally got the plumbing going again. So, the shower's working."

"Me first!" Ellie shouted. She ran into the hallway, grabbed a white bathrobe from the closet, and walked upstairs and into the bathroom, shutting the door. She opened the door for a second. "Be out in a bit!"

Despite themselves, Joel and Matthew laughed as Ellie closed the door again.

Joel looked at Matthew. The boy's eyes were fixed on the soccer ball.

"That was Sarah's," Joel said. He turned the ball and showed Matthew the address and note Sarah had written. "Tommy found it when he visited home a while back."

Matthew made no reply.

The sun had started to set.

Joel turned on a light.

Matthew jumped and took a deep breath, shaking his head sheepishly. "Sorry," he said.

"That's fine," Joel replied, taking a seat. "You may not believe it, but this is normal. Ellie went through the same thing."

"Normal… compared to what?" Matthew asked. He let out a breath. "I've never had electricity before. Mom and Dad…" The boy stopped speaking and looked down.

Joel leaned forward and spoke quietly. "Kid, if you ever want to talk about your parents, or Riley, or… anything else, there are a lot of people in this family who are willing to listen."

"Thanks for the offer," Matthew said appreciatively with a nod. "But I think I'll just try and get used to _this_ first."

There was a knock on the front door of the house.

"You should rest," Joel said, motioning to the couch. He stood and exited the house, closing the door behind him.

 ** _…_**

Matthew looked up uncertainly and started to pace. Eventually, he took a deep breath and sat on the couch, opening and closing his eyes as he attempted to take everything in.


	98. Chapter 98

Ellie stepped out of the shower and looked at her reflection in the mirror. _This is me._ She pushed her hair out of her eyes and put her necklace back on. _This is me._

Ellie put on her white bathrobe and walked to her room, shutting the door behind her. On her bed was a pile of objects she had never seen before.

A paper on top said 'Missed Holidays'. It was signed by Joey, Tommy, and Maria.

Ellie looked through the objects. It included a couple of comics, a handmade pun book from Joey, an entire case of soda, and a tape recorder labeled with a note from the shopkeeper.

You were staring at it the day before you left.

Nobody wants it.

Enjoy.

Ellie reached into the pockets of her jeans and grabbed her mother's note. It was still neatly folded. Ellie gazed at it for the second time that day. She read the letter again, turning over the paper.

I'm not going to lie, this is a pretty messed up world. It won't be easy. The thing you always have to remember is that, life is worth living! Find your purpose and fight for it. I see so much strength in you. I know you'll turn out to be the woman you're meant to be. Forever… your loving mother

Anna

Make me proud, Ellie!

"Life is worth living," Ellie read out loud. "Make me proud."

Ellie sat down on the bed. The tape recorder fell against her leg. Ellie picked it up and opened it. There was already tape inside. After a few seconds, Ellie shut the case and hit the record button.

Ellie stood and took a deep breath. She began to pace around the room. "Where do I begin? Well, my name is Ellie. I've survived the apocalypse to the healthy age of at least seventeen… or eighteen. It's not important."

Ellie hesitated a moment before continuing. "When I was fourteen, I was… I got bitten. I thought I was fucked. But I'm still alive. I'm immune. I've given up trying to understand why. Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah. So, I spent the next year trying to be _the cure for mankind_. Because… I was the only one that could. Although, I don't even know that I was the only one anymore. Things happened, and I failed."

Ellie let out a humorless chuckle. "No," she corrected herself. "I left it all behind. I was given a second chance. A normal life. Whatever that means… I was ripped apart by this for over three years."

Ellie sat down on the bed again. "There are a lot of people who would blame me for moving on. They'll say I didn't try hard enough. Maybe part of me feels that they're right."

Ellie stood and opened her closet door. She grabbed a loose board that she had found during her first week in Jackson. There was a small open space below it.

"Well fuck 'em," Ellie said firmly. " _Fuck them._ Because I'm not ready to die yet."

Ellie sighed. "I'll make sure someone finds this before it's my turn."

Ellie shut off the tape recorder.


	99. Chapter 99

A while later, after thinking and working through a few more issues floating around in her head, Ellie exited her room, still in her bath robe. She saw Matthew sitting on the couch.

Ellie walked around in front of him. "Scoot," she said motioning him to the side.

Matthew moved to one side of the couch, expecting Ellie to sit next to him. Instead, she sat down on the couch and laid her head in his lap. Her feet dangled limply off the other end of the couch.

Matthew smiled and moved a stray hair out of her eyes.

"What?" Ellie asked.

"Nothing," Matthew replied. "It's just nice to see you relaxed for once."

"You've seen me relaxed."

"Not this relaxed," Matthew said, fiddling with a strand of her hair.

Ellie closed her eyes. "So, I've spent the last couple days putting something together in my head. Something that I could start here in Jackson."

"Shoot," Matthew said.

 ** _…_**

Joel walked in the house a few minutes later and sat down on a chair across from the couch.

Ellie and Matthew fell silent.

"We're all set," Joel told them. "Tomorrow, we've got an appointment with the doctor around noon. Kid, you and I have the night watch on the Wall tomorrow night as well. The shift starts at eight, ends at two in the morning. Nothing new for us."

Ellie sat up. "What about me?" she asked. "What do I get to do?"

"I figured you would do what you wanted anyway. So, I didn't ask," Joel replied with a shrug. "I'm sure you will figure it out."

Matthew started sniggering.

Ellie elbowed him. "Well, speaking of doing what I wanted to do… I wanted to run something by you two," Ellie started. She sat up. "I want to tell Tim… all of it. You know, the immunity."

Matthew and Joel exchanged glances of surprise.

"Why?" asked Joel.

"I just…" Ellie forced herself to stop fidgeting with her fingers. "I don't think that we should be alone with this. If it's going to work for me here…"

Joel nodded as Ellie's voice trailed off. He thought for a moment and looked at Matthew. "What do you think?" he asked the young man.

"Tim's a good guy," Matthew said, leaning forward. "He's still scared of the world, but he'll come around. If he has a problem with it, I think he'll come to me or Maria first."

Joel took a deep breath and looked at Ellie. "The way I see it," he said. "You're old enough to make these decisions on your own. But I want to be there."

"Deal," Ellie said.

"Anything else?" asked Joel.

"Can Matthew sleep in my room?"

Matthew stood up. "I think I'll take you up on that shower," he said sheepishly as he looked at Joel. "I can take the couch."

"It's fine," said Joel. "You can take the couch. Or there's an old sleeping bag in Ellie's closet if you want it."

Matthew exited the room.

Joel looked at Ellie. "How you holding up?" he asked.

"Better than last time, I guess," Ellie said, lowering her voice. "I'm just worried about Matthew."

"He'll be fine," Joel said with certainty. "He has you."

"I suppose," Ellie said, relaxing somewhat. She grabbed her guitar. "You wanna practice?"

Ellie and Joel put their guitars away an hour later, completing their song again and starting to create a new one. Joel put on a new, clean red flannel t-shirt in preparation for dinner at Tommy's and walked with Ellie to the door. She stopped a few steps away.

"You coming?" Joel asked.

Ellie shook her head. "No. I think we'll stay close to home tonight."

"Okay," Joel nodded. "Be good. You know the house rules. I'll be late tonight, so try not to be awake when I get back. Oh, and remember to put the dog out."

"I make no promises," Ellie said. "Well, except for the dog."

"I've got a few other house rules to add," Joel said, folding his arms. "If you are in your room the door has to stay open. If I walk in on any make-out sessions, the punishment ranges from sleeping outside to loss of life. Am I clear?"

"Don't get caught," Ellie said sarcastically. "Got it. Anything else?"

"Yeah," Joel nodded. "Have fun tonight. I'll see you in the morning."

Joel turned to leave and opened the door.

"I cried today," Ellie blurted.

Joel closed the door and turned around with a concerned look on his face. "Is everything alright?"

Ellie started pacing back and forth. "I don't know," she said. "I was at the store and I found Clarisse and I was happy. I was really, really happy, and relived, and happy. But… I was still crying. Why the fuck would I cry if I was happy?"

Joel looked down for a moment with a small smile. He felt a tear forming in his eye.

"Are _you_ okay?" Ellie asked.

"Yeah," Joel said. He straightened up. "Yeah, I'm fine. The reason you were crying was… joy. It's what I've always wanted for you, kiddo."

Ellie turned away but didn't say anything. She turned when Joel opened the door. "I'd like to cry like that again," she said.

"You will, Ellie. You will."

 ** _…_**

Matthew exited the shower and put on a pair of black, striped pajamas that Joel had left for him.

Ellie cracked up when she saw him come downstairs.

"Not exactly my style," Matthew said with a laugh of his own. "But hey, they're clean, warm, and free of bugs."

"How was the shower?" Ellie asked.

"Good," Matthew said simply.

Ellie raised an eyebrow. "How was it really?"

"Loud."

 ** _…_**

Joel sat down at the table as Tommy started rummaging through the fridge. Tommy pulled out three beers and sat across from Joel.

"Okay," Tommy started, handing Joel one of the beers. "Let me get this straight. Ellie runs away and almost a year later you come back. Ellie has no ponytail, she's wearing Sarah's necklace, and she brought home a boy and a dog.

Joel looked down at the table. "I have not had enough coffee or alcohol to have this conversation."

Tommy placed the third beer on the table for later. "Seriously," he said, opening the final bottle for himself. "Who's the boy? What's his story?"

"He's… different," Joel said. He popped the lid off his beer. "He's a good kid."

"That says a lot and nothing at the same time," Tommy said with a chuckle. "But you trust him."

"I can't tell you much. You'll have to get some answers from him," Joel said firmly. He lowered his voice. "What I can tell you is that I wouldn't have been able to bring Ellie back without him."

"Sounds like they're close," Tommy said, placing his beer on the table. He leaned back in his chair and raised an eyebrow. "How close are we talking here?"

Joel gave him a look of warning before taking another sip of his beer.

"Okay…" Tommy said skeptically. "It's your house. Which they are alone in… right now."

"Tommy?"

"Yes, big brother?"

"Shut up."

 ** _…_**

"This is it," Ellie said opening the door to her room and pointing. "I've got my closet over there, a poster for some movie I've never seen, a few comics, an office chair, and well, my bed."

Matthew looked around, not saying anything.

"This…This is me," Ellie said with a shrug. "So… yeah."

"It's great, Ellie," Matthew said genuinely. "It's small. And I like the ceiling."

Ellie looked up and smiled. She had almost forgotten the glow in the dark stars on the ceiling.

Matthew continued to look around.

Ellie looked at Matthew again, speaking sheepishly. "Well, this is my room… where I change, so…"

"Oh," Matthew said, slightly embarrassed. "I'll wait outside."

Matthew stepped outside and closed the door behind him.

"So, I was thinking," Ellie said loud enough so Matthew could hear. She pulled a triple-phoenix nightshirt on. "We should take a walk tomorrow. You know, find a place in Jackson that we both like and where we can get away from people every once in a while and just hang out."

"What, you mean like a date?" Matthew asked from the other side of the door.

Ellie smiled and took off her necklace, placing it gently on her bedside table. "Matthew," she said opening the door. "You wanna go out sometime?"

"Sure," Matthew replied.

Ellie reached under her bed and threw him a soda.

 ** _…_**

"So, do you feel as old as you look yet?" Tommy asked. He opened his fridge and grabbed another couple beers, setting one in front of Joel.

"You have no idea," Joel said. He clinked Tommy's beer bottle with his own and took another drink.

 ** _…_**

It was past one o-clock in the morning when Ellie and Matthew finally laid down to sleep.

They had spent the remainder of the night talking, laughing, reading puns from Ellie's new pun book, and listening to Ellie's CDs. Matthew once again attempted to teach Ellie chess. They finished the night off with a couple games of Poker. Ellie called it quits after losing all her bragging rights.

Matthew laid down on top of the sleeping bag and closed his eyes. An hour later he opened them, still wide awake.

The house was silent.

Winston lay between Matthew and the bed, where Ellie was repeatedly turning and beating her pillow.

Ellie turned over again and peered into the darkness. She could barely make out Matthew's eyes. They were slowly moving back and forth.

"Matthew, how many stars are on the ceiling?" Ellie asked.

"Twenty-six."

"Yeah, I never slept well in here," Ellie said, rubbing her eyes. "I could even tell you how many steps it is from one side of the room to the other."

"How many lines are in the floorboards?" Matthew bantered, leaning up slightly.

"Horizontally or vertically?" Ellie asked semi-seriously.

Matthew lay on his head back again with a sad look on his face.

Ellie sighed. "I changed the bed around a couple times."

Matthew remained silent for another few minutes.

They both laid awake, gazing at the ceiling.

Ellie sighed in frustration and punched the pillow a few more times. "Screw this," she said.

Ellie swung her legs off the bed and stood. She pulled the sheets, blankets, and pillows off the bed.

Winston moved to the other side of the room with a grumble.

Matthew gave Ellie a confused look.

Ellie moved Matthew and his sleeping bag over a few inches. A minute later, she laid down on her makeshift sleeping bag and threw her blanket over them. "There. Much better."

Matthew nodded and turned away from her.

Ellie stared at his back. Eventually, she poked him. "I know this is hard, trust me."

"Ellie, I need you to answer this honestly," Matthew said. He rolled back over and stared at the ceiling. "Does it get easier? Does it become… less scary?"

Ellie searched carefully for the right words. "I can't tell you how long it's going to be scary. But…" Ellie hesitated for a moment. "The days get easier when you have people around to talk to… people who understand you."

Matthew didn't reply.

"But I got your back," Ellie said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Matthew nodded but remained silent.

Ellie tightened her grip and spoke again. "You've got my back too, right? Because honestly… have no fucking clue what to do next."

Matthew turned toward her. He reached up and grasped her hand and turned onto his side. "Always," he said with a small smile.

Ellie smiled too. She leaned up and placed a kiss on his lips.

Matthew returned the kiss.

Ellie snuggled a little closer, learned her head against his, and closed her eyes.

Matthew laid still for a moment before resting his forehead against hers.

 ** _…_**

Joel walked into the house after three in the morning with a bottle of water in his hand. He set down the keys and took another drink.

After another relieved sigh, Joel walked down the hallway to Ellie's room and looked in the door. He found Ellie and Matthew peacefully sleeping together on the floor.

Joel glanced at the bed.

Winston was lying on the empty mattress with his belly facing the ceiling.

Joel bent down and grabbed the blankets, pulling them up over Ellie and Matthew's shoulders. "'Night, kids."


	100. Chapter 100

**Twenty Years Later**

Joel snapped awake. He looked around frantically until he realized that he was still in bed. He collapsed back onto his pillow, breathing heavily. It took a full minute for him to shake off the nightmare.

Even as twenty years of contradiction lessened the memory's effect during the waking hours, Joel found that hours of sleep sometimes brought the worst memories to life in vivid focus.

Joel heard thumping and bumping coming down the hall outside his room.

Bump. Bump. Bump.

Joel looked up as a soccer ball hit the rim of his bedroom door and bounced into the room.

A little girl ran in and grabbed the ball.

"Sarah," Joel said, rubbing his eyes. "What did I tell you about soccer in the house?"

"You have to catch me first, grandpa."

Joel shook his head again as the twelve-year-old girl grabbed the ball and ran out of the room, her long, red ponytail hitting the door as she left.

Joel sighed. _She looks so much like her mother… acts like her too._

As Joel's heart-rate finally slowed, he laid his head back on the pillow for a moment, allowing himself to remember the twenty-year-old memories that had spawned the terrible nightmare…

After a minute, Joel sighed and slowly pulled on a green flannel shirt.

There was a loud crash at the bottom of the stairs.

"Shit!" Sarah yelled.

"Pick it up," said a man downstairs.

Joel got up and stretched. _Kids…_ He made his way to the door and descended the stairs.

The morning had already started for everyone else in the house.

"Excuse me," Matthew said as he passed Joel in the hallway, wearing blue jeans, boots, and a blue shirt with a vest.

In the kitchen, Ellie had just finished picking up the morning breakfast. As usual, she was wearing her hair down. She wore a red, sleeveless shirt and blue jeans.

After eating a missed piece of food, Ellie placed a plate in the sink.

Joel sat down.

As was tradition, Ellie and the kids were listening to the song that Joel and Ellie had mastered on the guitar years before.

The song finished and began to repeat again. The music stopped as Ellie unplugged the CD player. "That's enough of that," she said.

Ellie turned around again and walked to the counter, careful to avoid hitting her baby-belly on the table. She handed Joel his morning coffee as her seven-year-old son, Samuel, walked into the room.

"Why did you turn it off?" Samuel asked, wearing a blue shirt and blue jeans. His tan skin reflected through the sunlight in the kitchen window and brought out the color his bright green eyes. "I just want to make sure that it's Riley's favorite song."

Ellie hugged him tightly and brushed her long hair out of her eyes. "Riley will decide what her favorite song is in a few years," she said, rubbing her belly. "Once she's born."

Samuel bent his head in mock sadness. "Okay…"

Ellie covered Samuel's ears and looked at Joel, speaking quietly. "It's totally going to be Riley's favorite song."

"Mmm-hmmm" said Joel tiredly. He took a sip of his coffee.

Ellie uncovered Samuel's ears and knelt. "Get your coat. Your dad should be ready soon. If you're late for class again, Clarisse will not be happy."

Joel moved his coffee aside as Sarah walked into the room and slammed her backpack on the table. She started cramming her lunch inside of it.

Matthew walked in and grabbed an apple from the bowl on the table. He took a bite and moved past Ellie to grab a key off the counter.

Matthew placed a hand on his wife's shoulder. "So, what's the plan for today?" he asked.

Ellie grabbed a wash cloth and started scrubbing one of the dishes. "I was going to get some stuff done around the shop and do a few hours at the Foundation. What about you?"

The walkie-talkie on Matthew's hip chimed. "Hey Matthew, got a sec?"

"Let me get back to you on that," Matthew said to Ellie before leaving the room.

"Mom," Sarah interrupted after grabbing a banana. "Can I help at the Foundation? It sounds cool."

"Honey, you have to understand that the Foundation is for people like you're father and I," Ellie explained. "It's for people who are born outside of Jackson."

Sarah thought for a moment before her face brightened. "Can I bring the new girl that just moved from Ohio? She doesn't talk to anyone. Maybe I could help by bringing her there."

Ellie exchanged a glance with Matthew who had reentered the room during the latter half of the conversation.

Matthew shrugged and gave a proud smile.

Ellie placed a hand on Sarah's shoulder, speaking gently to her daughter. "We'll see what we can do, kiddo. Get your shoes on."

Sarah zipped up her backpack.

"Oh, and don't think this gets you out of trouble for swearing," Ellie said with a small smile.

"I bet you swore when you were younger," Sarah grumbled.

"No honey, I didn't."

Joel sniggered into his coffee and received a slap from Ellie's wash cloth as Sarah exited the room.

"That was Tim," Matthew said, placing the walkie-talkie on his hip. "A Stalker got caught in the electric fence and it shorted out. Joey and I are going to go down there after I drop off the kids. We don't want the Stalker to keep making too much noise."

"Okay," Ellie said. "Take the crossbow."

"Ellie," Matthew said as he rolled his eyes, tapping a knife at his hip. "It's a simple fix. I don't need the crossbow."

Ellie turned, grabbed Matthew's vest, and tugged him close. "What is the reason you met me?" she asked calmly.

"To remind me that I didn't have to be alone," Matthew recited.

"Then don't leave _me_ ," Ellie said firmly. She released him. "Take the crossbow. If I didn't have a soccer ball for a stomach, I'd go out with you."

"I still don't think—"

"Matthew, what are the words I'm looking for?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good," Ellie said simply.

Matthew retrieved the crossbow from their bedroom. He gave Ellie a quick kiss. "See you tonight at Tommy's for dinner," he said, grabbing Samuel's backpack and walking to the front door. "Kids, hurry it up."

"If you see an opportunity," Ellie called to Matthew, setting down the wash cloth. "Be sure to push Joey into the electric fence. You know, to make sure it's working right after you fix it."

Ellie turned and grabbed a soda that Samuel had just opened and was drinking.

"Nice try," Ellie said.

"Will you save it for me?" Samuel asked as his mother set the soda aside.

"Nope, it'll be gross by the time you get home," Ellie said calmly. "That's why we don't drink soda in the morning."

Sarah walked back into the room with her backpack, moving past Ellie to stand by the door.

"Don't forget to bring your guitar home from school," Ellie told Sarah. "We don't want it to disappear over the weekend."

Sarah held up a thumb.

Samuel walked to the door and grabbed his backpack from Matthew.

"Alright, kids," Matthew said. "Say 'goodbye'."

"Bye, mom," Samuel said. "Bye, grandpa."

"See you, gramps," Sarah called. "Bye, mom."

Joel and Ellie said their own goodbyes.

"I'll see you this afternoon for our game, sir," Matthew said to Joel as he opened the door. "Move it, munchkins."

The door shut behind Matthew and the kids.

Ellie sighed dramatically. She grabbed the discarded soda and downed it all at once before placing it on the table with an exaggerated sigh of relief.

Joel chuckled under his breath and took another sip of his coffee. He looked at Ellie. "Morning, baby girl."

"Hey, dad."

The Last of Us:

Surrogate Fates

Shadows of the Past


End file.
